Reliability of Capillary Blood Gas Measurements in Paralympic Sprinters at Rest: A Pilot Study

Area of Science:

• Sports Science
• Physiology
• Athletic Performance

Background:

• Point-of-care methods are increasingly used for training load management.
• Blood gas analysis shows promise but its reproducibility in elite athletes is unproven.

Purpose of the Study:

• To verify the reliability of resting acid-base variables in high-performance Paralympic sprinters.
• To assess the accuracy of point-of-care blood gas analysis in this population.

Main Methods:

• Seven Paralympic sprinters (4 visually impaired, 3 physically impaired) participated.
• Capillary blood samples were analyzed in triplicate using the Epoc System.
• Measurements included pH, pCO2, HCO3-, BE, Hct, Hb, CRE, and URE.

Main Results:

• No significant differences were found between any parameters (p > 0.05).
• Method imprecision ranged from 0.1% (pH) to 6.1% (BE).
• High consistency among samples indicated excellent reliability (0.88-1.00).

Conclusions:

• Point-of-care acid-base status measurements demonstrate excellent reliability in elite athletes.
• This supports the use of these methods for athlete training and management by sports scientists and coaches.