title: Prevalence of obstructive airflow limitation in Irish collegiate athletes.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Asthma prevalence in athletes is variable, depending on the sport and training conditions.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the prevalence of obstructive airflow limitation, asthma control and lung volume differences in a control group and five groups of collegiate athletes--outdoor field, indoor court, endurance, combat sports and swimming.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three hundred and five athletes completed a respiratory questionnaire and performed spirometry during normal training conditions, to determine FEV1, FVC and PEFR pre- and at 5, 10 and 15 minutes post-exercise. Between and within group analysis was carried out using single factor and repeated measures ANOVA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Previous diagnosis of asthma was reported by 24%, outdoor field sports 4.9%, indoor court sports 2.3%, endurance events 2.6%, combat sports 3%, swimming 6.9% and controls 4.3%. Mean FEV1 and FVC data, expressed as percentage of predicted, were greatest in swimming and lowest in controls. Swimming showed a significant rise in FEV1 post-exercise, indoor court and endurance sports demonstrated no change and outdoor field, combat and control groups showed a fall in FEV1 post-exercise.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Warm humid training conditions appear protective against exercise-induced asthma. The greatest reductions in lung volumes occurred following high intensity exercise under cool conditions in the poorly aerobically conditioned.
authors.affiliation: Human Performance Laboratory, Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mahony
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Donne
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: O'Brien
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001250:Asthma, Exercise-Induced / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume; D006801:Humans; D007494:Ireland / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D013147:Spirometry; D013177:Sports