Ventilatory response to carbon dioxide in young athletes: a family study.
Ventilatory response to carbon dioxide (deltaVE/deltaPCO2) was measured in 23 teenage swimmers chosen by their coach for their potential for future athletic success. Siblings and parents of these swimmers were also studied. We found a strong relation between siblings' de;taVE/DELTAPCO2, whether or not they were swimmers (r=0.71, P less than 0.01). A weaker relationship was found between mother's and children's deltaVE/DELTAPCO2 (r==0.39, P less than 0.01). No association was found between swimming training and deltaVE/deltaPCO2. One swimmer 12 years of age had an extremely low deltaVE/PCO2 (0.42 liter per min per mm Hg) She was the only swimmer among these 23 potential champions to achieve international success in endurance events in the 2 years after the study. We concluded that family factors are important determinants of a subject's deltaVE/PCO2 and suggest that measurement of this aspect of chemical drive to breathing in young athletes may help identify those most likely to succeed in endurance events.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002648:Child; D005190:Family; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D012119:Respiration / Q000187:drug effects*; D012737:Sex Factors; D013178:Sports Medicine; D013550:Swimming
D002245:Carbon Dioxide