title: Incidence of asthma symptoms and decreased pulmonary function in young amateur swimmers.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the incidence of asthma symptoms in young amateur swimmers, and to describe the clinical treatment of the children with asthma in a private sports club in the city of São Paulo, Brazil.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study included 171 amateur swimmers, ranging from 6 to14 years of age. All of the participants or their legal guardians were asked to complete the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) questionnaire, and 119 were submitted to pulmonary function testing at rest.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The overall incidence of asthma symptoms (ISAAC score > 6) among the swimmers was 16.8%. Of the 119 swimmers submitted to spirometry, 39 (32.7%) presented spirometric alterations (FEV1/FVC < 0.75). Among those with an ISAAC score > 6, there were 10 (31.2%) who stated that they were receiving no asthma treatment. Of those who reported receiving pharmacological treatment, 24% made use of bronchodilators but not of corticosteroids.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The incidence of asthma symptoms and pulmonary function alterations among amateur swimmers within the 6-14 age bracket was high. In addition, a relevant proportion of these athletes were receiving no treatment.
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Medicina do ABC, Santo André, SP, Brasil. ifiks@uol.com.br
authors.forename: Iara Nely
authors.initials: IN
authors.lastname: Fiks
authors.forename: Leonardo Carlos Araujo
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.forename: Telma
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Antunes
authors.forename: Raquel Calvo
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Gonçalves
authors.forename: Celso Ricardo Fernandes de
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Carvalho
authors.forename: Carlos Roberto Ribeiro
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Carvalho
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D001993:Bronchodilator Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008168:Lung / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D013550:Swimming / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D001993:Bronchodilator Agents