Innate Immune Response to (An)Aerobic Exercise in Rowing Athletes
Condition: Upper Respiratory Tract Infections; URTI
MeSH terms: Respiratory Tract Infections
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      Exercise induces innate immune response activation in athletes. The response starts during
      exercise and lasts for approximately 24 hours. This innate immune response shows similarities
      to the innate immune activation observed in, for example, bacterial infection and trauma.
      Immediately after exercise, athletes develop leukocytosis and cytokine production is altered
      towards an inflammatory pattern. However, to gain insight in immune response, a detailed cell
      receptor expression is required. To investigate the physiological innate immune response to
      exercise, we developed a model in rowers.

      Aim: To determine the type and degree of cellular inflammatory response in peripheral blood
      of elite rowing athletes after both anaerobe and aerobe exercise.

      Study design:

      Investigator driven, monocenter observational pilot study.

      Study population: 16 healthy, non-asthmatic, human volunteers, 18-25 year old. All
      competitive rowing athletes.
    

Detailed description: 
      Rationale: Exercise induces innate immune response activation in athletes. The response
      starts during exercise and lasts for approximately 24 hours. This innate immune response
      shows similarities to the innate immune activation observed in, for example, bacterial
      infection and trauma. Immediately after exercise, athletes develop leukocytosis and cytokine
      production is altered towards an inflammatory pattern. However, to gain insight in immune
      response, a detailed cell receptor expression is required. To investigate the physiological
      innate immune response to exercise, we developed a model in rowers.

      Objective: To determine the type and degree of cellular inflammatory response in peripheral
      blood of elite rowing athletes after both anaerobe and aerobe exercise.

      Study design: Investigator driven, monocenter observational pilot study.

      Study population: 16 healthy, non-asthmatic, human volunteers, 18-25 year old. All
      competitive rowing athletes.

      Intervention : All athletes perform two separate tests on a rowing ergometer. One anaerobe
      (flat out) exercise test (minutes) at day 1 and a aerobe test (1 hour) at day 2. Blood
      withdrawal of 9mL will be performed at four time points (1 pretest time point and 3 post: at
      0h, 2 and 4h).

      Main study parameters/endpoints: The main endpoint is a rise in neutrophil cell count and the
      appearance of different subsets of neutrophils objectified by a change in receptor
      expression. Not only neutrophils are important in this innate cell response, other leukocytes
      like lymphocytes, monocytes and hematopoietic progenitor cells also play a role. Therefore
      the detailed analysis of receptor profiles on these cells will be measured by Flowcytometry.

      Nature and extent of the burden and risks associated with participation, benefit and group
      relatedness: The anaerobe and aerobe exercise tests do not differ significantly from what the
      athletes are used to do for training purposes. Athletes who experience any pain or discomfort
      during exercise will be advised to stop. Blood withdrawal on itself may cause a vasovagal
      response and especially well trained athletes are susceptible to develop this response. A
      trained physician is present to take care and look after rowers that suffered from vasovagal
      collapse. All anaerobe exercise brings along a very small risk of acute cardiovascular
      complications and although all rowers undergo exercise testing by an exercise physiologist
      before participating in competition, this risk remains.

      The total amount of time of the study is 2 times 5 hours. This time frame consists of the
      prior blood withdrawal, the testing itself and subsequently the three time points of blood
      withdrawal. The amount of blood withdrawal per athlete is 4 x 9mL, with a total of 36 mL per
      volunteer at one day of testing. The total blood withdrawal is therefore 72 mL base on two
      testing days.
    

Intervention name(s): Aerobic exercise; Anaerobic exercise
Intervention type(s): Biological; Biological
Intervention description(s): Aerobic exercise: 2x30 min on an indoor rowing machine at 75% of Maximum heart rate; Anaerobic exercise: 3x1000m maximum effort, on an indoor rowing machine
Intervention model: Single Group Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)
Primary purpose: Treatment
Keywords: neutrophil; exercise; URTI; Innate; Immune