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Exercise-induced bronchodilatation in asthmatic athletes
1Institute of Sport Science, Italian National Olympic Committee, Rome, Italy.
The Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness
|March 1, 1996
Summary
High-level athletes with asthma experience bronchodilation during exercise, enabling high ventilation. This natural bronchodilation may reduce the need for pre-exercise bronchodilator medication.
Area of Science:
- Sports Medicine
- Pulmonology
- Exercise Physiology
Background:
- Exercise-induced bronchospasm is common in asthma.
- Asthma athletes often participate in high-level sports.
- Training may modulate airway obstruction and bronchodilator responses.
Purpose of the Study:
- To monitor changes in bronchial caliber during maximal exercise in elite athletes with asthma.
- To investigate the bronchodilator response to exercise in this population.
Main Methods:
- Studied 14 elite athletes with asthma and chronic bronchial obstruction.
- Maximal effort testing was performed.
- Bronchial caliber was assessed before, during, and after exercise.
Main Results:
- Athletes exhibited high peak ventilation and oxygen uptake.
- All athletes showed bronchodilation post-exercise.
- A slow return to baseline bronchial patency was observed without worsening obstruction.
- Salbutamol further increased bronchodilation.
Conclusions:
- Persistent exercise-induced bronchodilation facilitates high ventilation in asthma athletes.
- This natural response may make prophylactic bronchodilators less critical in optimal conditions.
- Potential upregulation of adrenergic beta-receptors is hypothesized.