Reported use of anti-asthmatic medication in doping control forms from 2015 to 2019 - mapping retrospective data

Area of Science:

• Sports Medicine
• Pulmonology
• Anti-doping

Background:

• Asthma and bronchial hyperresponsiveness are prevalent in athletes, especially in sports with high respiratory demands or irritant exposure.
• Mechanisms involve repeated high-volume ventilation, irritant exposure, airway inflammation, and remodeling.
• Airway hyperresponsiveness is key, even without classic asthma symptoms.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the prevalence and patterns of anti-asthmatic medication use among doping-controlled athletes.
• To analyze the types of asthma medications reported on doping control forms (DCFs).

Main Methods:

• Observational, cross-sectional study utilizing retrospective data from athletes' DCFs.
• Data collected from 2015-2019 as part of Norway's national anti-doping program.
• Included analysis of 10,418 DCFs, with some athletes appearing multiple times.

Main Results:

• 16.3% of DCFs (1702 out of 10,418) reported at least one anti-asthmatic medication.
• Bronchodilators were the most commonly reported class, with anticholinergics being most frequent.
• Females, national-level athletes, and those at high risk for asthma reported more medications. Usage was highest in the 30-34 age group and endurance athletes.

Conclusions:

• The study offers insights into asthma medication use and guideline adherence among Norwegian athletes.
• Further research is warranted, acknowledging the limitation of athletes reappearing in the dataset.
• Findings highlight the significant use of asthma medications within the athletic population.