Gender differences in the prevalence of airway hyperresponsiveness and asthma in athletes.
BACKGROUND
Although athletes have a high prevalence of airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) and asthma, little is known about possible gender differences in regard to these features. We looked at the comparative prevalence of AHR, physician-diagnosed asthma and respiratory symptoms during exercise in female (F) and male (M) athletes.


METHODS
A retrospective analysis was done on 2 groups of athletes: Group 1 (n=100) taking part in a study on the prevalence of AHR to methacholine (PC(20)<16mg/ml) and Group 2 (n=698), taking part in a provincial survey on the prevalence of physician-diagnosed asthma. Subjects from both groups filled the same questionnaire on respiratory symptoms during exercise (breathlessness, wheezing and chest tightness).


RESULTS
In Group 1, prevalence of AHR was significantly higher in female (60%) compared with male (21.5%, p<0.0001) athletes despite a similar prevalence of physician-diagnosed asthma (F: 17.1%, M: 15.4%, p>0.05). Respiratory symptoms during exercise were more frequently reported in females (37.1%, M: 16.9%, p=0.02); however, when corrected for the PC(20), this difference became non-significant. In Group 2, the prevalence of physician-diagnosed asthma was not different between genders (F: 12.5%, M: 14%, p>0.05) but respiratory symptoms during exercise were more often reported in female (19.4%) than in male (12.2%, p=0.01) athletes.


CONCLUSIONS
This analysis shows a higher prevalence of AHR and exercise-induced respiratory symptoms in female compared to male athletes, but a similar prevalence of physician-diagnosed asthma. This suggested that the increase in respiratory symptoms in female athletes failed to translate into a higher prevalence of physician-diagnosed asthma.
Langdeau
Jean-Bruno
JB
Centre de Recherche de l'Hôpital Laval, Institut Universitaire de Cardiologie et de Pneumologie, Université Laval, Québec, Qc, Canada.
Day
Anna
A
Turcotte
Hélène
H
Boulet
Louis-Philippe
LP
D000328:Adult; D001249:Asthma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D016535:Bronchial Hyperreactivity / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D016085:Bronchoconstrictor Agents; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology; D005194:Family Practice; D005260:Female; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D008297:Male; D016210:Methacholine Chloride; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012737:Sex Factors; D013177:Sports / Q000502:physiology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D016085:Bronchoconstrictor Agents; D016210:Methacholine Chloride