title: Exercise-induced bronchoconstriction and atopy in Tunisian athletes.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study is a cross sectional analysis, aiming to evaluate if atopy is as a risk factor for exercise induced bronchoconstriction (EIB) among Tunisian athletes.
  
  
  METHODS
  Atopy was defined by a skin prick test result and EIB was defined as a decrease of at least 15% in forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) after 8-min running at 80-85% HRmaxTheo. The study population was composed of 326 athletes (age: 20.8 +/- 2.7 yrs - mean +/- SD; 138 women and 188 men) of whom 107 were elite athletes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Atopy was found in 26.9% (88/326) of the athletes. Post exercise spirometry revealed the presence of EIB in 9.8% of the athletes including 13% of the elite athletes. Frequency of atopy in athletes with EIB was significantly higher than in athletes without EIB [62.5% vs 23.1%, respectively].
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study showed that atopic Tunisian athletes presented a higher risk of developing exercise induced bronchoconstriction than non-atopic athletes.
authors.affiliation: ISSEP-Sfax, Unité de Recherche Les déterminants psychoculturels et biologiques de l'accès à la haute performance sportive, Sfax, Tunisia. rida.sallaoui@laposte.net
authors.forename: Ridha
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sallaoui
authors.forename: Karim
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Chamari
authors.forename: Abbas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mossa
authors.forename: Zouhair
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Tabka
authors.forename: Moktar
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chtara
authors.forename: Youssef
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Feki
authors.forename: Mohamed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Amri
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001250:Asthma, Exercise-Induced / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D016084:Bronchoconstriction / Q000502:physiology*; D003080:Cold Temperature / Q000009:adverse effects; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006969:Hypersensitivity, Immediate / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D008297:Male; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011058:Pollen / Q000009:adverse effects; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012420:Running / Q000502:physiology*; D012621:Seasons; D013147:Spirometry; D014416:Tunisia / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants