Exercise-induced bronchoconstriction and atopy in Tunisian athletes.
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.
Sallaoui
Ridha
R
ISSEP-Sfax, Unité de Recherche Les déterminants psychoculturels et biologiques de l'accès à la haute performance sportive, Sfax, Tunisia. rida.sallaoui@laposte.net
Chamari
Karim
K
Mossa
Abbas
A
Tabka
Zouhair
Z
Chtara
Moktar
M
Feki
Youssef
Y
Amri
Mohamed
M
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
D000393:Air Pollutants