Revista de medicina deportiva y estudios de dopaje

Exercise-Induced Bronchospasm in Soccer Athletes Living in a Tropical Humid Region

Abstract

Rodrigo Luis Mousinho Gomes, Edil de Albuquerque Rodrigues Filho, Marco Aurélio de Valois Correia Júnior, Gilmário Ricarte Batista, Anderson Henrique Souza de Almeida and José Ângelo Rizzo

Background: Exercise-induced bronchospasm (EIB) is frequent in asthmatic athletes and, although less prevalent, also occurs in non-asthmatic ones. Breathing warm-humid air reduces this phenomenon.
Objective: To evaluate EIB prevalence in semi-professional soccer athletes from a tropical humid region.
Methods: We included athletes from a soccer team from the city of Recife-Brazil. A history of asthma or respiratory symptoms after exercise, demographic data and baseline FEV1 measurements were obtained. Thereafter, each athlete performed a standardized free field running to achieve 85% to 95% of the maximum calculated heart rate for the last 6 minutes of a total running time of 8 to 10 minutes. FEV1 was measured again at 5, 10, 15 and 30 minutes after exercise and EIB was defined as a reduction ≥ 10% from basal values in two consecutive time points. Results: Fifty-four male athletes aged between 13 and 21 years were evaluated. All denied exercise associated respiratory symptoms. Mean temperature and air humidity were 30.2°C ± 2.7°C and 82.1% ± 2.9%, respectively. EIB was found in two (7%) athletes (with a fall in FEV1 from baseline of 23.3% and 22.6%), none with history of asthma symptoms. Two other athletes had a history of asthma symptoms in childhood but no decrease in FEV1. Conclusion: The studied population of semi-professional soccer athletes with no exercise associated respiratory complaints showed a low BIE prevalence (7%). It may be necessary to perform the challenge with the athlete breathing dry air in those that also play in more dry and cold climates.