Limitation of the Ventilatory Response to Exercise in the Master Athlete (LAHMESS)

Limitation of the Ventilatory Response to Exercise in the Master Athlete: Influences on Locomotor Muscle Fatigue and on Endurance Performance

It is generally accepted that the ventilatory system is not a limiting factor in physical exercise in terms of performance or exercise tolerance in healthy subjects. The ventilatory system would be oversized in relation to the stresses it has to cope with, even during maximum intensity exercise. However, some highly trained endurance athletes may be exceptions to this rule. A limitation of the expiratory flow is indeed sometimes found in these athletes, whose maximum values of ventilation can confront the mechanical limits of their ventilatory system. This phenomenon could be accentuated in elderly athletes (known as "master athletes") under the effect of structural and functional pulmonary alterations that accompany aging. Our hypothesis : What is the prevalence of exercise expiratory flow limitation in the master athlete and does it cause a decrease in physical performance via an acceleration of locomotor muscle fatigue?

Study Overview

• Status: Terminated
• Conditions: Healthy Volunteers
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Heliox; Other: Air

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 3
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• France
  • Alpes-maritimes
    • Nice, Alpes-maritimes, France, 06001
      • CHU de Nice

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 60 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Non-smoker (active or passive) or ex-smoker of less than 5 pack-years and stopped for more than 10 years.
• No known significant chronic pathology.
• No symptoms suggesting a progressive pathology.
• No contraindication to physical exercise. Normal Pulmonary Functional Test (PFT).
• Participants affiliated to the social security system

Exclusion Criteria:

• Vulnerable persons as defined in Articles L. 1121-5 to L.1121-8 and L.1122-1-2 of the Public Health Code (e.g. persons deprived of liberty, minors, adults protected, etc.),
• Participants with a medical contraindication to sports practice,
• Cardiovascular, respiratory, neuromuscular and/or significant metabolic,
• Participants with declared pathology or medical treatment,
• Smoking or drug use,
• Significant chronic drug treatment,
• Lack of consent.
• Refusal to cooperate
• Recent rhino-bronchial infection (within last 4 weeks)
• Mental disability

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Other
• Allocation: N/A
• Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

1

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Intervention / Treatment

Other: Healthy volunteers; Following the selection visit (#V0) to verify the inclusion and non-inclusion criteria, participants will make 2 visits (#V1 and #V2) including in particular a Respiratory Functional Exploration (EFR) and a triangular

Other: Heliox; Participants will then complete 1 FAM (#V3) to Neuromuscular Function Assessment (PRE-POST), Pre- and Post- Exercise Ventilatory Function Assessment, and a Constant Load Ergocycle Test to Tolerance Limit (intensity fixed at 90% of the maximum aerobic power, PMA). The following two experimental visits (#V4 and #V5) will replicate the tests described in #V3. However, during the constant load exercise, participants will breathe either ambient air or heliox (a mixture in which the nitrogen in the air is replaced by the inert gas helium) in a random order. During a final Experiential Visit (#V6), participants will replicate the "Medical Gas Administration" visit but the exercise will be interrupted when a similar amount of time/work as the ambient air condition is achieved.; Other: Air; Following the selection visit (#V0) to verify the inclusion and non-inclusion criteria, participants will make 2 visits (#V1 and #V2) including in particular a Respiratory Functional Exploration (EFR) and a triangular VO2 MAX estimation test in Ambient Air or Heliox conditions (depending on randomization).

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change from baseline severity of EFL during ergocycle endurance exercise	Force developed by the quadriceps muscle in response to percutaneous electrical stimulation of the femoral nerve	At inclusion and 3 months

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Muscle activation level	estimated by measuring electromyographic (EMG) activity	At inclusion and 3 months

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Nice
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Leroy Sylvie, Pneumologie, CHU de Nice

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): April 1, 2022
• Primary Completion (Actual): April 1, 2023
• Study Completion (Actual): July 1, 2023

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: March 8, 2022
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 31, 2022
• First Posted (Actual): April 1, 2022

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): September 8, 2023
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: September 5, 2023
• Last Verified: September 1, 2023

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Other Study ID Numbers: 21-PP-10

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No