SynthesisSports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.)2021
The Effect of Acute Physical Exercise on NK-Cell Cytolytic Activity: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
Synthesis in Sports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.), 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 27 papers, 4 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
27 citing papers in PubMed, 4 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- Circulating Myokine Responses to Acute Endurance Exercise and Their Role in Immunoregulation: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.FASEB journal : official publication of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology · 2026Pooled it
- High-intensity interval training and strength conditioning in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia: a systematic review.Systematic reviews · 2025Pooled it
- Exercise Training and Natural Killer Cells in Cancer Survivors: Current Evidence and Research Gaps Based on a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.Sports medicine - open · 2022Pooled it
- Effects of Exercise Interventions on Immune Function in Children and Adolescents With Cancer and HSCT Recipients - A Systematic Review.Frontiers in immunology · 2021Pooled it
- Intensity matters: high-intensity interval resistance exercise induces greater immune activation than low-intensity resistance exercise 45 min post-workout.European journal of applied physiology · 2026Trial
- High-Intensity Interval Training Boosts Immune Cells in Advanced Cancer Patients and Healthy Controls: Implications for Cancer Care.Cancer medicine · 2026Trial
- Impact of a moderate-intensity aerobic exercise intervention on systemic and uterine natural killer cells in women with unexplained recurrent pregnancy loss.Frontiers in immunology · 2025Trial
- Different endurance exercises modulate NK cell cytotoxic and inhibiting receptors.European journal of applied physiology · 2021Trial
- Eight weeks of high-intensity interval training increases peripheral serotonin transporter expression independently of promoter methylation changes.European journal of applied physiology · 2026Article
- Acute exercise rewires the proteomic landscape of human immune cells.Nature communications · 2026Article
- What affects natural killer cell activity: a cross-sectional study.Frontiers in immunology · 2026Article
- The effect of moderate physical activity on NK cells populations and cytotoxic T lymphocytes in young, healthy women.PloS one · 2026Article
- Immunological Protein Signature During Acute Exercise.Acta physiologica (Oxford, England) · 2025Article
- Physical Activity Guidelines for Astronauts: An Immunological Perspective.Biomolecules · 2025Review
- Mechanisms of the biological response cascade to exercise-induced stress: a comprehensive review.Frontiers in sports and active living · 2025Review
- Distinct NK cell function and gene expression in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in remission before and after acute exercise: an exploratory study.Frontiers in immunology · 2025Article
- Is Micronutrient Supplementation Helpful in Supporting the Immune System during Prolonged, High-Intensity Physical Training?Nutrients · 2024Review
- Immunology of Physical Exercise: IsInternational journal of molecular sciences · 2024Review
- What dictates tumour cell sensitivity to exercise?Nature reviews. Immunology · 2024Article
- Exercise: a non-drug strategy of NK cell activation.Brazilian journal of medical and biological research = Revista brasileira de pesquisas medicas e biologica · 2024Review
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
7 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundData on changes in natural killer cell cytolytic activity (NKCA) in response to acute physical exercise are contradictory.
objectiveThe aim of this systematic review, meta-analysis and meta-regression is to (1) examine the effect of acute physical exercise on NKCA, (2) shed more light on the moderating factors, and (3) test the assumption of NKCA suppression subsequent to performing sports.
methodsTwo comparisons of NKCA were performed: (1) pre- versus post-exercise and (2) pre-exercise versus recovery. Data were acquired through a systematic search of MEDLINE (via PubMed), Scopus, and SportDiscus. Studies were eligible for inclusion if the effect of acute physical exercise was assessed including a passive control group and reporting NKCA prior to and immediately after the trial, and during the first 2 h of recovery. To better explain between-study heterogeneity, a moderator analysis was conducted.
resultsPooled estimate from 12 studies reporting 18 effect sizes show that NKCA is largely elevated by acute physical exercise (Hedges' g = 1.02, 95% CI 0.59-1.46, p < 0.01). Meta-regressions reveal that this effect is larger for endurance versus resistance exercise and increases with the intensity of exercise (both p < 0.01), whereas the blood material used in the assay (p = 0.71), and the quantitative change in NK-cell count (R
conclusionsThis work provides solid evidence for elevated NKCA through performing sports which returns to baseline during the first 1-2 h of recovery, but not below the pre-exercise values providing counterevidence to the assumption of temporarily reduced NKCA. Remarkably, the functional change in NKCA exists independently from the quantitative change in NK-cell count. PROSPERO registration number: CRD42020134257.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.