Kerstin Romberg1, Ellen Tufvesson2, Leif Bjermer2. 1. Respiratory Medicine and Allergology, Department of Clinical Sciences Lund, Lund University, Lund, Sweden; Health Care Centre, Näsets Läkargrupp, Höllviken, Sweden. Electronic address: kro@nlg.nu. 2. Respiratory Medicine and Allergology, Department of Clinical Sciences Lund, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Elite athletes, independent of sport, have increased risk of developing asthma, but little is known about sex difference among adolescent athletes. OBJECTIVE: To investigate and compare sex-related differences according to symptoms and treatment of asthma, allergy, and health among elite athletes and a reference group. METHODS: Adolescent elite swimmers (n = 101), tennis players (n = 86), and a reference group (n = 1,628) responded to a questionnaire about respiratory symptoms, allergy, health behavior, psychosomatic symptoms, self- esteem, and well-being. The athletes performed a mannitol provocation and a sport-specific exercise provocation. Atopy was assessed by skin prick tests, and fractional exhaled nitric oxide was measured. RESULTS: The females reported more asthma symptoms than the males in both the reference group (29.1% vs 22.3%) and the athlete group (56.4% vs 40.2%). However, no significant differences were found in physician-diagnosed asthma or treatment with inhaled corticosteroids. More female athletes had a positive mannitol provocation result (48.7% vs 35.8% in male athletes), and more female swimmers had a positive exercise provocation result (15.1% vs 7.7% in male swimmers). The females in all groups had more psychosomatic symptoms compared with the respective males, and the males in the reference group reported higher self-esteem and felt more well-being compared with the reference group females. CONCLUSION: Overall, we found a higher prevalence of asthma symptoms in the females. However, the frequency of physician-diagnosed asthma and the prescription of inhaled corticosteroids were the same in both sexes. This finding demonstrates an insufficient diagnosis of asthma in females.
BACKGROUND: Elite athletes, independent of sport, have increased risk of developing asthma, but little is known about sex difference among adolescent athletes. OBJECTIVE: To investigate and compare sex-related differences according to symptoms and treatment of asthma, allergy, and health among elite athletes and a reference group. METHODS: Adolescent elite swimmers (n = 101), tennis players (n = 86), and a reference group (n = 1,628) responded to a questionnaire about respiratory symptoms, allergy, health behavior, psychosomatic symptoms, self- esteem, and well-being. The athletes performed a mannitol provocation and a sport-specific exercise provocation. Atopy was assessed by skin prick tests, and fractional exhaled nitric oxide was measured. RESULTS: The females reported more asthma symptoms than the males in both the reference group (29.1% vs 22.3%) and the athlete group (56.4% vs 40.2%). However, no significant differences were found in physician-diagnosed asthma or treatment with inhaled corticosteroids. More female athletes had a positive mannitol provocation result (48.7% vs 35.8% in male athletes), and more female swimmers had a positive exercise provocation result (15.1% vs 7.7% in male swimmers). The females in all groups had more psychosomatic symptoms compared with the respective males, and the males in the reference group reported higher self-esteem and felt more well-being compared with the reference group females. CONCLUSION: Overall, we found a higher prevalence of asthma symptoms in the females. However, the frequency of physician-diagnosed asthma and the prescription of inhaled corticosteroids were the same in both sexes. This finding demonstrates an insufficient diagnosis of asthma in females.
Authors: Beat Knechtle; Athanasios A Dalamitros; Tiago M Barbosa; Caio Victor Sousa; Thomas Rosemann; Pantelis Theo Nikolaidis Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2020-05-22 Impact factor: 3.390