ArticlePloS one2022
Muscle thickness and inflammation during a 50km ultramarathon in recreational runners.
Article in PloS one, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 12 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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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
12 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 12 citations in OpenAlex.
- 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
- Should pre-measurement physical activity be standardized in muscle thickness and stiffness evaluations? - A randomized controlled four arm cross-over study.BMC medical imaging · 2026Trial
- Indicators of Neuromuscular, Metabolic and Perceptual Fatigue Following a 5 km Run.Sports (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
- Quadriceps Muscle Morphology as a Marker of Performance Across Multiple Strength and Power Tests.Translational sports medicine · 2026Article
- (Ultra-)inflammation or adaptation? Comparison of different ultramarathon distances and their effect on the immune system.Frontiers in immunology · 2026Article
- Home-Based Exercise to Improve Functional Outcomes in Veterans With a Recently Healed Diabetic Foot Ulcer: Protocol for a Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial.JMIR research protocols · 2025Article
- Inflammatory Response to Ultramarathon Running: A Review of IL-6, CRP, and TNF-α.International journal of molecular sciences · 2025Review
- Peripheral blood mononuclear cell number and paracrine function in responses to a 50-km trail race: An exploratory study.Physiological reports · 2025Article
- Acute cardiovascular responses to the 100-mi Western States Endurance Run.Journal of applied physiology (Bethesda, Md. : 1985) · 2024Article
- Exertional Rhabdomyolysis and Ultra-Trail Races: A Systematic Review Highlighting the Significant Impact of Eccentric Load.Muscles (Basel, Switzerland) · 2024Review
- Arterial function in response to a 50 km ultramarathon in recreational athletes.Experimental physiology · 2024Article
- Analysis of over 1 million race records shows runners from East African countries as the fastest in 50-km ultra-marathons.Scientific reports · 2024Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
6 authors at 4 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
purposeThis study examined changes in circulating levels of inflammatory cytokines [IL-6, sIL-6R, TNF-α, and calprotectin], skeletal muscle morphology, and muscle strength following a 50km race in non-elite athletes.
methodsEleven individuals (8 men; 3 women) underwent pre-race assessments of rectus femoris muscle thickness (resting and contracted) using ultrasound, isometric knee extensor torque, and plasma cytokines. Measures were repeated after 10km of running, the 50km finish (post-race), and again 24-hrs post-race.
resultsCompared with baseline values, Δ muscle thickness (resting to contracted) increased significantly 24 hrs post-race (11 ± 11% vs. 22 ± 8%; P = 0.01). Knee extensor torque was significantly reduced immediately post-race (151 ± 46 vs. 134 ± 43 Nm; P = 0.047) but remained similar to post-race values at 24 hrs post-race (P = 0.613). Compared with pre-race levels, IL-6 and calprotectin concentrations increased 302% and 50% after 10km, respectively (P<0.017 for both), peaked post-race (2598% vs. pre-race for IL-6 and 68% vs. pre-race for calprotectin; P = 0.018 for both), and returned to pre-race levels at 24-hrs post-race (P>0.05 for both). Creatine kinase levels rose steadily during and after the race, peaking 24-hrs post-race (184 ± 113 U/L pre-race vs. 1508 ± 1815 U/L 24-hrs post-race; P = 0.005).
conclusionThis is the first report of delayed increases in Δ muscle thickness at 24 hrs post-50km, which are preceded by reductions in knee extensor torque and elevations in plasma IL-6, and calprotectin. Recreational athletes should consider the acute muscle inflammatory response when determining training and recovery strategies for 50km participation.
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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.