Heat acclimation in cystic fibrosis.

Cystic fibrosis (CF) patients may be at risk for heat illness because of their high sweat chloride and sodium concentrations ([Cl-], [Na+]), but it is not known if they can heat acclimate. We studied 10 CF patients and 10 normal controls on 8 consecutive days of cycle exercise in the heat (37 degrees C dry bulb, 24-29 degrees C wet bulb). Both groups acclimated. CF peak rectal temperature (Tre) was 38.2 +/- 0.3 degrees C on day 1 and 37.8 +/- 0.4 degrees C on day 8 (P less than .005), and peak heart rates (HR) were 151 +/- 24 beats/min on day 1 and 136 +/- 22 beats/min on day 8 (P less than 0.025). Control temperature (T) and HR were similar. Controls decreased sweat [Cl-] from 37.2 +/- 14.6 meq/l on day 1 and to 24.9 +/- 10.6 meq/l on day 8 (P less than 0.005). CF sweat [Cl-] was significantly higher and did not change with acclimation (day 1, 71.1 +/- 20.9 meq/l; day 8, 72.6 +/- 21.6 meq/l, NS). Before and after acclimation, exercise-heat sessions resulted in significant decreases in serum [Cl-] in CF patients (104.5 +/- 4.6 to 101.3 +/- 4.4 meq/l on day 1, P less than 0.05; 103.5 +/- 5.1 to 99.7 +/- 4.2 meq/l on day 8, P less than 0.025) but not in controls. Serum [Cl-] was significantly lower in CF than control subjects at every measurement. Both groups had significant renal Na+ conservation after exercise on both days.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)