Reduced maximal oxygen consumption and overproduction of proinflammatory cytokines in athletes.
OBJECTIVE
It was the aim of this study to evaluate whether chronic pain in athletes is related to performance, measured by the maximum oxygen consumption and production of hormones and cytokines.


METHODS
Fifty-five athletes with a mean age of 31.9 +/- 4.2 years engaged in regular competition and showing no symptoms of acute inflammation, particularly fever, were studied. They were divided into 2 subgroups according to the occurrence of pain. Plasma concentrations of adrenaline, noradrenaline, cortisol, prolactin, growth hormone and dopamine were measured by radioimmunoassay, and the production of the cytokines interleukin (IL)-1, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interferon-alpha and prostaglandin E(2) by whole-blood culture. Maximal oxygen consumption was determined during an incremental treadmill test.


RESULTS
There was no change in the concentration of stress hormones, but the athletes with chronic pain showed a reduction in maximum oxygen consumption (22%) and total consumption at the anaerobic threshold (25%), as well as increased cytokine production. Increases of 2.7-, 8.1-, 1.7- and 3.7-fold were observed for IL-1, IL-2, tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interferon-alpha, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
Our data show that athletes with chronic pain have enhanced production of proinflammatory cytokines and lipid mediators and reduced performance in the ergospirometric test.
Vaisberg
Mauro
M
Department of Medicine, Baixada Santista Campus, Federal University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil. maurovaisberg@uol.com.br
de Mello
Marco Tulio
MT
Seelaender
Marília Cerqueira Leite
MC
dos Santos
Ronaldo Vagner Thomatieli
RV
Costa Rosa
Luis Fernando Bicudo Pereira
LF
D000328:Adult; D015308:Anaerobic Threshold / Q000502:physiology; D002908:Chronic Disease; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood*; D004298:Dopamine / Q000097:blood; D004837:Epinephrine / Q000097:blood; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000097:blood; D006728:Hormones / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000097:blood; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000097:blood; D010101:Oxygen Consumption / Q000502:physiology*; D010146:Pain / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011388:Prolactin / Q000097:blood; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D013177:Sports / Q000502:physiology*
D016207:Cytokines; D006728:Hormones; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D011388:Prolactin; D013006:Growth Hormone; D004298:Dopamine; D006854:Hydrocortisone; D009638:Norepinephrine; D004837:Epinephrine