Iara Nely Fiks

Frequência de sintomas de asma e de redução da função pulmonar entre crianças e adolescentes nadadores amadores

OBJECTIVE To investigate the incidence of asthma symptoms in young amateur swimmers, and to describe the clinical treatment of the children with asthma in a private sports club in the city of São Paulo, Brazil. METHODS The study included 171 amateur swimmers, ranging from 6 to14 years of age. All of the participants or their legal guardians were asked to complete the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) questionnaire, and 119 were submitted to pulmonary function testing at rest. RESULTS The overall incidence of asthma symptoms (ISAAC score > 6) among the swimmers was 16.8%. Of the 119 swimmers submitted to spirometry, 39 (32.7%) presented spirometric alterations (FEV1/FVC < 0.75). Among those with an ISAAC score > 6, there were 10 (31.2%) who stated that they were receiving no asthma treatment. Of those who reported receiving pharmacological treatment, 24% made use of bronchodilators but not of corticosteroids. CONCLUSIONS The incidence of asthma symptoms and pulmonary function alterations among amateur swimmers within the 6-14 age bracket was high. In addition, a relevant proportion of these athletes were receiving no treatment.

Immune and Inflammatory Response in Atopic Elite Endurance Athletes

The present study aimed to compare the immune and inflammatory responses between atopic (n=20) and non-atopic (n=39) elite endurance athletes. Fifty-nine elite runners and triathletes were assessed for the following measurements: Th1, Th2 and lymphocyte phenotyping and plasma levels of cortisol, chemokines, inflammatory cytokines and specific immunoglobulin E (IgE). Levels of salivary IgA, allergic symptoms and training data were also evaluated. No difference was observed in baseline lymphocyte levels. However, the Th1 lymphocytes of atopic athletes presented a lower response after activation. In contrast to this result, levels of salivary IgA and CXCL9 chemokine were higher in the atopic athletes. It was observed that the volume of training per week was linearly associated with Th1 levels, allergic symptoms and IgE levels. In addition, linear multiple regression analysis demonstrated that the volume of training was the only factor associated with allergic symptoms in atopic athletes (r=0.53; p=0.04). These results suggest that compared to non-atopic athletes, atopic athletes present a reduced Th1 response and higher levels of salivary IgA. Training volume is associated with the immune response and allergic symptoms, which suggests that they may play a role in the atopy in elite endurance athletes.