EXERCISE-INDUCED LEUCOCYTOSIS IN SOME HEALTHY ADULT NIGERIANS
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.4314/Abstract
The effect of exercise on circulating leucocytes with regards to changes in total and differential counts was studied in 25 adult
Nigerians of both sexes. All subjects exercised on a bicycle ergometer till exhaustion. A significant (p<0.001) leucocytosis
occurred immediately after the exercise with the predominant increase being lymphocytes. There was significant (p<0.01)
eosinopenia and neutropenia in females. Basophilopenia was however significant (p<0.01) in the males but not in females. A
significant (p<0.01) post-exercise monocytopenia was observed in the females but not in the males. This study demonstrates a
marked leucocytosis due to lymphocytosis, and a decrease in the number of granulocytes and monocytes. The post-exercise
lymphocytosis observed may be due to increased secretion of catecholamines, decreased adherence of leucocytes to the
endothelium and massive influx of lymphocytes into the circulation from the lymphatic vessels.
