Testing of pulmonary function in a professional cycling team.
OBJECTIVE
Asthma affecting elite athletes has been studied mainly in subjects practicing winter sports. The aim of our study was to test the pulmonary function in order to evaluate bronchial hyper-responsiveness prevalence in a team of 25 male professional cyclists (27.9+/-3.9 years old with a VO(2max) equal to 69.9+/-6.6 mL.min(-1) x kg(-1)).


METHODS
Using a questionnaire that queried the presence or absence of asthma history or common symptoms of exercise induced bronchospasm, 72% of the subjects had upper airway or bronchial symptoms. Using a pneumotachograph, we recorded a forced flow-volume curve at rest, after a maximal exercise test with ambient air, and after beta2-agonist inhalation, then during a methacholine challenge.


RESULTS
In our study, 52% of the subjects showed clinical symptoms associated with bronchial responsiveness during methacholine test, a proportion which is much higher than the average population (3-20%). However, ERS-ATS pulmonary function testing criteria at rest (reduced FEV1, FEV1/FVC, FEF25-75%) were not fulfilled by any of them. In the asthmatic group, O2max was significantly higher (70.5+/-6 vs 68.6+/-8.2 mL.min-1.kg-1, P<0.05). This remained true for submaximal loads suggesting that ventilation energy cost related to bronchial hyper-responsiveness was also higher.


CONCLUSIONS
We have reported in this study that professional cyclists have a far higher prevalence of bronchial hyper-responsiveness than the average population, which can be regarded as a real health issue.
Medelli
J
J
Unit of Biology of the Effort and Sports Medicine, University Hospital Center, Amiens, France. medelli.jean@chu-amiens.fr
Lounana
J
J
Messan
F
F
Menuet
J J
JJ
Petitjean
M
M
D058666:Adrenergic beta-2 Receptor Agonists; D000318:Adrenergic beta-Agonists; D000328:Adult; D001249:Asthma / Q000503:physiopathology; D001250:Asthma, Exercise-Induced / Q000503:physiopathology; D001642:Bicycling / Q000502:physiology*; D016535:Bronchial Hyperreactivity / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001985:Bronchial Provocation Tests; D016085:Bronchoconstrictor Agents; D005080:Exercise Test; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005540:Forced Expiratory Flow Rates / Q000502:physiology; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume / Q000502:physiology; D005602:France; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008168:Lung / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D008450:Maximal Midexpiratory Flow Rate / Q000502:physiology; D016210:Methacholine Chloride; D010101:Oxygen Consumption / Q000502:physiology; D013147:Spirometry
D058666:Adrenergic beta-2 Receptor Agonists; D000318:Adrenergic beta-Agonists; D016085:Bronchoconstrictor Agents; D016210:Methacholine Chloride