Evaluation of changes in serum levels of cell and vascular adhesion molecules upon resistance training in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Document Type : Review article

Authors

1 Department of Physical Education and Sports Sciences, School of Humanities, University of Yasouj, Yasouj, Iran.

2 Department of Exercise Physiology, Faculty of Sport Sciences, Arak University, Arak, Iran.

3 Department of Sports Sciences, University of Birjand, Birjand, Iran.

Abstract

Introduction: This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the effects of resistance training on plasma levels of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) in adults.
Materials and Methods: To identify relevant studies, related keywords were searched in the PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, Magiran, Irandon, Noor Mags, and SID databases from 2006 to May 31, 2025. All studies published on this topic were retrieved. After screening the articles, 12 studies that met the inclusion criteria were included in the meta-analysis. The standardized mean difference (SMD) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated using a random-effects model in CMA2 software to determine the effect.
Results: A total of 12 studies (with 14 resistance training interventions) involving 298 adult participants were included in the meta-analysis. The results showed that resistance training in adults was associated with a significant reduction in ICAM-1 compared with the control group [SMD = -1.707, 95% CI: -2.857 to -0.557, P < 0.001]. However, the change in VCAM-1 was not significant [SMD = -0.905, 95% CI: -1.884 to -0.752, P = 0.518].
Conclusion: The present meta-analysis demonstrated that resistance training in adults led to a significant reduction in ICAM-1, whereas changes in VCAM-1 were not significant. These findings suggest that resistance training may have beneficial effects on inflammation-related markers associated with cardiovascular health, although its impact on VCAM-1 requires further investigation.

Keywords

Main Subjects

References

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Medical Journal of Mashhad university of Medical Sciences
Volume 69, Issue 3
May 2026
Pages 282-299

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