title: Reduced maximal oxygen consumption and overproduction of proinflammatory cytokines in athletes.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Baixada Santista Campus, Federal University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil. maurovaisberg@uol.com.br
authors.forename: Mauro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vaisberg
authors.forename: Marco Tulio
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: de Mello
authors.forename: Marília Cerqueira Leite
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Seelaender
authors.forename: Ronaldo Vagner Thomatieli
authors.initials: RV
authors.lastname: dos Santos
authors.forename: Luis Fernando Bicudo Pereira
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Costa Rosa
mesh_terms: 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*
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D006728:Hormones; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D011388:Prolactin; D013006:Growth Hormone; D004298:Dopamine; D006854:Hydrocortisone; D009638:Norepinephrine; D004837:Epinephrine