Airway remodeling and inflammation in competitive swimmers training in indoor chlorinated swimming pools - 03/02/12
, Lionel Loubaki, MSc a, Philippe Joubert, MD, PhD a, Julie Turmel, PhD a, Christian Couture, MSc, MD, FRCPC a, Michel Laviolette, MD a, Jamila Chakir, PhD a, Louis-Philippe Boulet, MD, FRCPC, FCCP a
Corresponding author: Valérie Bougault, PhD, Faculté des Sciences du Sport et de l’Éducation Physique, Université du Droit et de la Santé, 9 rue de l’Université, 59790 Ronchin, France.Abstract |
Background |
Airway disorders are common in regular chlorinated swimming pool attendees, particularly competitive athletes, but the impact of intense swimming training on airway function and structure remains unclear.
Objective |
This study aimed to evaluate airway inflammation and remodeling in elite swimmers.
Methods |
Twenty-three elite swimmers were tested during off-training season. All had exhaled nitric oxide measurement, methacholine test, eucapnic voluntary hyperpnea challenge, allergy skin prick tests, and bronchoscopy with bronchial biopsies. Clinical data and tissues from 10 age-matched mild-asthmatic and 10 healthy nonallergic subjects were used for comparison.
Results |
Swimmers had increased airway mucosa eosinophil and mast cell counts than did controls (P < .05). They had more goblet cell hyperplasia and higher mucin expression than did healthy or asthmatic subjects (P < .05). A greater submucosal type I and III collagen expression and tenascin deposition was also observed in swimmers than in controls (P < .05). Neither exhaled nitric oxide nor airway responsiveness to methacholine or eucapnic voluntary hyperpnea challenge correlated with these inflammatory and remodeling changes.
Conclusion |
Intense, long-term swimming training in indoor chlorinated swimming pools is associated with airway changes similar to those seen in mild asthma, but with higher mucin expression. These changes were independent from airway hyperresponsiveness. The long-term physiological and clinical consequences of these changes remain to be clarified.
Le texte complet de cet article est disponible en PDF.Key words : Asthma, airway inflammation, airway remodeling, bronchial biopsies, swimmers
Abbreviations used : AHR, EVH, PC20 FEV1
Plan
| Valérie Bougault was supported in part by a grant from the Groupe de recherche en santé respiratoire from Université Laval (GESER), Québec, Quebec, Canada. |
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| Disclosure of potential conflict of interest: L.-P. Boulet is on advisory boards for AstraZeneca, GlaxoSmithKline, MerckFrosst, and Novartis; receives lecture fees from 3M, AstraZeneca, GlaxoSmithKline, MerckFrosst, and Novartis; receives research support from AstraZeneca, GlaxoSmithKline, MerckFrosst, Schering, Altair, Asmacure, Boehringer-Ingelheim, Genentech, Pharmaxis, Wyeth; is an advisor for the Conseil du Medicament du Quebe and AETMIS and a member of the Quebec Workmen Compensation Board Respiratory Committee; is chair of the Canadian Thoracic Society Respiratory Guidelines Committee and chair of the GINA Guidelines Dissemination and Implementation Committee; is holder of the Laval University Chair on Knowledge Transfer, Prevention, and Education in Respiratory and Cardiovascular Health; and is a member of the Knowledge Translation (KT Canada) supported by the CIHR. The rest of the authors declare that they have no relevant conflicts of interest. |
Vol 129 - N° 2
P. 351 - février 2012 Retour au numéro
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