Prevalence of asthma symptoms and allergy and mechanisms involved in the exercise induced bronchoconstriction in long distance runners

• Grant number: 10/19742-9
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Start date: May 01, 2011
• End date: April 30, 2014
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy
• Principal Investigator: Celso Ricardo Fernandes de Carvalho
• Grantee: Renata Nakata Teixeira
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina (FM). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

High prevalence of symptoms of asthma, exercise induced bronchoconstriction (EIB), bronchial hyperresponsiveness (BHR) and allergy has been observed in athletes involved in endurance sporting activities at an elite level. According to the IOC, the prevalence of ²-agonist use by athletes mirrors the known prevalence of asthma symptoms in each country. Brazil was the only country where this tendency was not observed, however, no reason for this has been identified. This data raise a hypothesis that Brazilian athletes may have the prevalence of symptoms of asthma and EIB underestimated. Furthermore, some evidences suggest that mechanisms of EIB in endurance athletes may be different from that in asthmatic individuals. Study objectives: the purpose of this study is to assess the prevalence of symptoms of asthma and allergy in long distance runners and to investigate the inflammatory mechanisms involved in the EIB among the athletes without symptoms of asthma. Setting: this study will be performed in two phases. At the first one (Phase I) symptoms of asthma and allergy will be assessed in a sample of 240 long distance runners, using standardized questionnaires ISAAC and AQUA©. At the second phase (Phase II) the EIB will be diagnosed as well as a study of the some airway inflammatory markers will be done. In order to investigate the mechanisms of the EIB in non asthmatic athletes, the ones that present symptoms of asthma at the Phase I will be excluded from the second phase. Therefore, 40 long distance runners without symptoms of asthma and diagnosed with EIB, 10% fall of forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) after eucapnic voluntary hyperventilation (EVH) will be submitted to the following assessments: 1°) maximal ergoespirometry test; 2°) induced sputum and nitric oxide (NO) exhalation; 3°) urine sample collection, lung function measurements and EVH challenge; 4°) bronchial hyperresponsiveness (BHR) to methacholine. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

TEIXEIRA, RENATA N.; MENDES, FELIPE A. R.; MARTINS, MILTON A.; MICKLEBOROUGH, TIMOTHY D.; CARVALHO, CELSO R. F.. AQUA (c) as predictor of allergy in elite marathon runners. WORLD ALLERGY ORGANIZATION JOURNAL, v. 7, p. 5-pg., 2014-01-01. (10/19742-9)

Academic Publications

(References retrieved automatically from State of São Paulo Research Institutions)

TEIXEIRA, Renata Nakata. Prevalence of asthmatic and allergic symptoms and mechanism of exercise-induced bronchoconstriction in long distance runners. 2014. Doctoral Thesis - Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Faculdade de Medicina (FM/SBD) São Paulo.