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Int J Sports Med 2021; 42(03): 234-240
DOI: 10.1055/a-1236-3698
Physiology & Biochemistry

Follow-up of Acute Respiratory Disorders in Cyclists Competing in the 100th Giro d’Italia

Luca Pollastri
1   Laboratory of Sports Medicine, Pentavis, Lecco, Italy
,
Claudio Macaluso
2   Pneumology, INRCA Casatenovo, Casatenovo, Italy
,
Giovanni Vinetti
3   Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
,
Giovanni Tredici
4   School of Medicine and Surgery, Università degli Studi di Milano-Bicocca Scuola di Medicina e Chirurgia, Monza, Italy
,
Francesca Lanfranconi
4   School of Medicine and Surgery, Università degli Studi di Milano-Bicocca Scuola di Medicina e Chirurgia, Monza, Italy
5   Department of Pediatrics, Monza and Brianza Foundation for Children and their Mums, Monza, Italy
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Abstract

Acute respiratory disorder is a common sub-clinical condition affecting elite cyclists. Monitoring the perturbations of the immunological cells in the respiratory tract, indicative of a likely proinflammatory state, during an International Cycling Union world tour is a challenging task. The aim of this study was to follow up on the sign and symptoms of upper way respiratory infections with or without asthma, using non-invasive methods, during a 21-day race (100° Giro d’Italia, 2017). Nine male elite cyclists of the Bahrain Merida Team were evaluated before the training season and daily during the race. Clinical history, skin prick and spirometric test, acute respiratory symptoms were measured using validated questionnaires, and values of fraction of exhaled nitric oxide were collected longitudinally. Four of the 9 athletes had allergies with/or consistent abnormal spirometric curves before the race. During the race, 5 athletes had a fraction of exhaled nitric oxide values >20 ppb which correlated with respiratory symptoms collected through questionnaires. These were related to the environmental characteristics of the places travelled through in the race. The athletes with a predisposition to chronic respiratory inflammation in the pre-competitive season were more likely to develop acute respiratory symptoms during the race.

Key words

exercise - FeNO - cycling - WURSS-21 - airway inflammatory response - URTI


Publication History

Received: 18 February 2020

Accepted: 27 July 2020

Article published online:
13 September 2020

Georg Thieme Verlag KG
Rüdigerstraße 14, 70469 Stuttgart, Germany

 

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