Bohm P, et al. – This study encompassed the assessment of a swimming break effect on airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR). In addition, this research analyzed the perception of bronchoconstriction–related symptoms after methacholine challenge testing (MCT). A swimming break of 25 ± 8 days was not adequate to markedly reduce AHR in elite swimmers. Hence, relevant and systematic effects of short–term water abstinence on AHR appeared to be unlikely. Maximum swimmers remained asymptomatic. Therefore, AHR could escape routine screening examinations. Its effect on athletic performance and the long–term clinical consequences was yet to be clarified.

Methods

• The design of this research was an observational, controlled study.
• It was performed at a University department.
• The enrollment consisted of 25 healthy, elite, competitive swimmers aged ≥14 years from the local Olympic training center and 25 healthy control individuals.
• The independent Variable was the duration of water abstinence.
• The primary outcome measures were a positive MCT with a provocation dose (PD) and the perception score of bronchoconstriction-related symptoms at visit 1 (V1, training period) and visit 2 (V2, after swimming break).

Results

• 13 swimmers (52%) and 10 control subjects (40%) exhibited AHR.
• The PD did not considerably vary between V1 and V2 in the swimmers (P = 0.81) or in the control subjects (P = 0.74).
• There was no association of fraction of exhaled nitric oxide with the PD in both the groups (swimmers: P = 0.97; controls: P = 0.99).
• Maximum swimmers with AHR were asymptomatic, and only minimal changes in perception of bronchoconstriction-related symptoms between swimmers and control subjects were observed (P = 0.23).