Cold air exercise screening for exercise induced bronchoconstriction in cold weather athletes

Michael D Kennedy; Andrew R Steele; Eric C Parent; Craig D Steinback

doi:10.1016/j.resp.2019.103262

Cold air exercise screening for exercise induced bronchoconstriction in cold weather athletes

Respir Physiol Neurobiol. 2019 Nov:269:103262. doi: 10.1016/j.resp.2019.103262. Epub 2019 Jul 29.

Authors

Michael D Kennedy¹, Andrew R Steele², Eric C Parent³, Craig D Steinback²

Affiliations

¹ Athlete Health Lab, Faculty of Kinesiology, Sport and Recreation, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Electronic address: kennedy@ualberta.ca.
² Neurovascular Health Lab, Faculty of Kinesiology, Sport and Recreation, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
³ Clinical Spinal Research Lab, Department of Physical Therapy, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

PMID: 31369875
DOI: 10.1016/j.resp.2019.103262

Abstract

Exercise Induced Bronchoconstriction (EIB) prevalence in cold weather athletes is high. Currently, no standardized cold air exercise provocation test exists. Thus we aimed to determine EIB prevalence using a Cold Air Test (CAT; 5 km outdoor running; -15 °C) compared to the most common EIB screen the Eucapnic Voluntary Hyperpnea (EVH) test in cold weather athletes. Sixteen (9 male; 20-35 years old) cold weather athletes completed EVH 72 h before CAT. Spirometry, Fractional Expired Nitric Oxide (FENO), respiratory symptoms were measured and atopy status was determined. Five and 7 participants were EIB + on the EVH and CAT, respectively. Level of agreement was 50% between tests. FEV₁ recovery was significantly prolonged and Peak Expiratory Flow was decreased after CAT compared to EVH. Predictive characteristics of EIB + included FENO >12 ppb, FEV₁/FVC ratio (<0.75) and BMI < 20. EVH does not always reflect EIB triggered by cold weather exercise. More research is required to understand the best EIB screens for cold weather athletes.

Keywords: Bronchial provocation tests; Cough; Exercise induced asthma; Respiratory hypersensitivity; Spirometry.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adult
Asthma, Exercise-Induced / diagnosis
Asthma, Exercise-Induced / epidemiology
Asthma, Exercise-Induced / etiology
Athletes*
Bronchial Provocation Tests / methods*
Bronchoconstriction / physiology*
Cold Temperature / adverse effects*
Exercise / physiology*
Female
Humans
Male
Prevalence
Young Adult