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Urinary changes in ultra long-distance marathon runners
1Renal Unit, St. Augustine's Hospital, Durban, Natal, South Africa.
Nephron
|January 1, 1993
Summary
Marathon runners often show red blood cells in urine post-race. This study suggests lower urinary tract bleeding, not kidney damage, is the likely cause, with changes resolving within a week.
Area of Science:
- Sports Medicine
- Nephrology
- Urology
Background:
- Ultra-endurance running can cause physiological stress.
- Hematuria (red blood cells in urine) is a potential consequence for athletes.
- Differentiating the source of hematuria is crucial for diagnosis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the prevalence and origin of hematuria in ultra-endurance marathon runners.
- To utilize urinary red blood cell indices to distinguish between upper and lower urinary tract sources.
- To assess the persistence of urinary changes and potential for renal damage.
Main Methods:
- Studied urine samples from 45 male and female athletes post-marathon.
- Screened for red blood cells in urine.
- Measured urinary mean corpuscular volume (MCV) of red cells.
- Analyzed red blood cell morphology.
Main Results:
- 24.4% of athletes exhibited hematuria.
- Most red blood cells were non-dysmorphic with MCV > 72 fL.
- This pattern indicated a lower urinary tract origin for hematuria.
- Urinary changes resolved within 7 days.
- No significant residual renal damage was detected.
Conclusions:
- Post-marathon hematuria in this cohort likely originates from the lower urinary tract.
- Urinary MCV is a useful indicator for differentiating hematuria sources in athletes.
- Transient hematuria following endurance events does not appear to cause lasting kidney damage.