Role of Airway Hyperresponsiveness on Performance in Elite Swimmers.

Role of Airway Hyperresponsiveness on Performance in Elite Swimmers: Efficiency of a Bronchodilator to Prevent an Exercise-induced Bronchoconstriction

The prevalence of airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) is very high in elite swimmers, reaching 80% in certain studies. Repeated Chlorine-derivatives exposure may be a major causative factor for its development. Asthma diagnosis is generally made on the basis of clinical characteristics. The demonstration of a variable bronchial obstruction through positive expiratory flow reversibility to a bronchodilator, spontaneous variations of airway obstruction or a positive provocation test (methacholine, eucapnic voluntary hyperpnoea…) is necessary to avoid false diagnosis. Currently asthma treatment in swimmers is the same as in the general population. A short-acting bronchodilator is often prescribed to avoid occasional symptoms, combined with an inhaled corticosteroid or an antagonist of Leukotriene if asthma symptoms are persistent. Previous studies have shown a reduced efficiency for asthma medication in elite athletes compared with non-athletes. The specific response to different medications remains to be studied in athletes. The effects of a short-acting bronchodilator in swimmers with AHR, especially when asymptomatic, on pulmonary function and performance have not yet been studied. Moreover, the significance of a positive bronchial provocation test remains to be studied in asymptomatic swimmers with AHR.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Asthma
• Intervention / Treatment: Drug: Ventolin

Detailed Description

Our hypothesis is that swimmers with a positive bronchial provocation challenge have not necessarily an exercise-induced bronchoconstriction during swimming and the use of a bronchodilator will be unnecessary. Chlorine-derivatives exposure may be responsible for a weakness of the epithelium layer but warm and humid atmosphere of the swimming-pools may be protective for the development of a bronchoconstriction. Thus we also hypothesis that during a field test outside the swimming pool, swimmers will develop an exercise-induced asthma, and will need to take a bronchodilator in prevention.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 57
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Canada
  • Quebec
    • Québec, Quebec, Canada, G1V 4G5
      • Institut Universitaire de Cardiologie et de Pneumologie de Quebec

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 14 years and older (ADULT, OLDER_ADULT, CHILD)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Swimmer (at least 10h/week) aged from at least 14 years.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Smoker, obese or other disease which may interfere with the study. Some parts of the study may exclude swimmers taking inhaled corticosteroids.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: DIAGNOSTIC
• Allocation: NA
• Interventional Model: SINGLE_GROUP
• Masking: TRIPLE

Number of Arms

1

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
PLACEBO_COMPARATOR: Inhaled Bronchodilator	Drug: Ventolin; Ventolin or Placebo will be given before the 4 field tests (2 with ventolin in prevention and 2 with placebo in prevention) and 2 eucapnic voluntary hyperpnoea tests (one preceded by Ventolin and one preceded by Placebo).; Other Names: Ventolin (salbutamol)

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Time Frame
Bronchodilator versus placebo effects on performance	march to may 2009/ 8 visits

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Time Frame
Measurement of oxidative stress	april to June 2009/ 3 visits

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Laval University

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start: December 1, 2008
• Primary Completion (ACTUAL): May 1, 2013
• Study Completion (ACTUAL): May 1, 2013

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: April 3, 2009
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 3, 2009
• First Posted (ESTIMATE): April 6, 2009

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (ESTIMATE): May 13, 2013
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: May 9, 2013
• Last Verified: May 1, 2013

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Respiratory Tract Diseases; Immune System Diseases; Hypersensitivity, Immediate; Hypersensitivity; Respiratory Hypersensitivity; Physiological Effects of Drugs; Adrenergic Agents; Neurotransmitter Agents; Molecular Mechanisms of Pharmacological Action; Autonomic Agents; Peripheral Nervous System Agents; Adrenergic Agonists; Bronchodilator Agents; Anti-Asthmatic Agents; Respiratory System Agents; Reproductive Control Agents; Adrenergic beta-2 Receptor Agonists; Adrenergic beta-Agonists; Tocolytic Agents; Albuterol
• Other Study ID Numbers: proto nage 2