Clinical trial NCT00876135: Role of Airway Hyperresponsiveness on Performance in Elite Swimmers.
Official title: Role of Airway Hyperresponsiveness on Performance in Elite Swimmers: Efficiency of a Bronchodilator to Prevent an Exercise-induced Bronchoconstriction
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: COMPLETED
Phase: NA
Conditions: Asthma
Lead sponsor: Laval University
Sponsor class: OTHER
First posted: 2009-04-06
Enrollment: 57
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 14
Standard ages: CHILD
ADULT
OLDER_ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: no
Allocation: NA
Intervention model: SINGLE_GROUP
Primary purpose: DIAGNOSTIC

Brief summary: 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.

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.

Eligibility criteria: 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.

Primary outcomes:
measure: Bronchodilator versus placebo effects on performance
timeFrame: march to may 2009/ 8 visits
Secondary outcomes:
measure: Measurement of oxidative stress
timeFrame: april to June 2009/ 3 visits
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Québec
country: Canada
facility: Institut Universitaire de cardiologie et de pneumologie de Québec
state: Quebec
Study officials:
affiliation: Laval University
name: Louis-Philippe Boulet, MD
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
References: