Analysis of the potential association between physical activity and skin autofluorescence: a systematic review.
Level 3 - non-randomized controlled study
Systematic review synthesizing predominantly observational studies using narrative synthesis and vote counting.
PubMed 41850762 · doi:10.1136/jech-2025-224810
What was done
A systematic review was conducted across MEDLINE, Web of Science, Scopus, Cochrane Library, and SPORTDiscus through September 2024 following PRISMA and Synthesis Without Meta-analysis (SWiM) guidelines. The authors evaluated the relationship between physical activity or exercise frequency and skin autofluorescence (SAF) in the general adult population. Study quality was evaluated using NHLBI tools, evidence certainty was rated using GRADE, and standardized synthesis was conducted using vote counting by effect direction.
What was found
Seventeen studies were included. Qualitative synthesis showed that 58.8% of included studies reported a statistically significant inverse association between higher physical activity and lower SAF levels. The remaining 41.2% reported non-significant associations, with several showing favorable trends. No studies reported a positive association. Study quality was generally fair, and the GRADE certainty of evidence was graded as low.
Why it matters
Skin autofluorescence reflects tissue accumulation of advanced glycation end products, a marker linked to cardiovascular disease. Demonstrating that physical activity is inversely associated with SAF provides further support for exercise as a preventive strategy against chronic non-communicable diseases.
Limits
The review relies on vote counting rather than quantitative meta-analytic pooling, providing no pooled effect sizes. Specific study designs, total participant count, participant demographics, and exercise parameters are not reported in the abstract. Causality cannot be determined, and overall certainty of evidence is low.
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