Cross-country skiers often experience respiratory symptoms during and after exercise but have a low prevalence of prolonged cough
Background Cross-country skiers train and compete during the winter for long periods of time in subfreezing conditions, which strains the airways and provokes respiratory symptoms. This study aimed to compare the prevalence of exercise-related symptoms and prolonged cough in competitive cross-countr...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMJ Publishing Group
2023-05-01
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| Series: | BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine |
| Online Access: | https://bmjopensem.bmj.com/content/9/2/e001502.full |
| _version_ | 1797772216091279360 |
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| author | Jari Parkkari Maarit Valtonen Jussi Karjalainen Lauri Lehtimäki Heini Huhtala Heikki Koskela Rikhard Mäki-Heikkilä |
| author_facet | Jari Parkkari Maarit Valtonen Jussi Karjalainen Lauri Lehtimäki Heini Huhtala Heikki Koskela Rikhard Mäki-Heikkilä |
| author_sort | Jari Parkkari |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background Cross-country skiers train and compete during the winter for long periods of time in subfreezing conditions, which strains the airways and provokes respiratory symptoms. This study aimed to compare the prevalence of exercise-related symptoms and prolonged cough in competitive cross-country skiers versus the general population and to investigate the association between these symptoms and asthma.Methods A questionnaire was sent to Finnish cross-country skiers (n=1282) and a random sample of the general population (n=1754), with response rates of 26.9% and 19.0%, respectively.Results Both groups were mostly asymptomatic at rest, but symptoms were increased in both groups during and after exercise. Cough was more prevalent after exercise in skiers and phlegm production was more common during and after exercise in skiers. Asthma did not provoke specific symptoms, but symptom prevalence was higher in asthmatic individuals. Skiers had a higher prevalence of cough after exercise (60.6% vs 22.8%, p<0.001) compared with controls, but controls had a higher prevalence of prolonged cough (4.1% vs 9.6%, p=0.004). In participants without asthma, cold air triggered symptoms more often in skiers than controls, while strong odours triggered symptoms more often in asthmatic controls than skiers. Chronic cough lasting more than 8 weeks was rare, reported by 4.8% of controls and 2.0% of skiers.Conclusion Cross-country skiers, especially those with asthma, experience a higher burden of exercise-related respiratory symptoms compared with controls. However, repeated exposure to cold air does not appear to result in long-term hypersensitivity of the cough reflex arc. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T21:48:48Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-fd983c76f59a432fab834773bba5a208 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2055-7647 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T21:48:48Z |
| publishDate | 2023-05-01 |
| publisher | BMJ Publishing Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine |
| spelling | doaj.art-fd983c76f59a432fab834773bba5a2082023-07-26T07:35:07ZengBMJ Publishing GroupBMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine2055-76472023-05-019210.1136/bmjsem-2022-001502Cross-country skiers often experience respiratory symptoms during and after exercise but have a low prevalence of prolonged coughJari Parkkari0Maarit Valtonen1Jussi Karjalainen2Lauri Lehtimäki3Heini Huhtala4Heikki Koskela5Rikhard Mäki-Heikkilä6Tampere Research Center of Sports Medicine, UKK Institute, Tampere, Pirkanmaa, FinlandFinnish Institute of High Performance Sport KIHU, Jyväskylä, FinlandFaculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, FinlandFaculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, FinlandFaculty of Social Sciences, Tampere University, Tampere, Pirkanmaa, FinlandUnit for Medicine and Clinical Research, Pulmonary Division, Kuopio University Hospital, Kuopio, Pohjois-Savo, FinlandFaculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, FinlandBackground Cross-country skiers train and compete during the winter for long periods of time in subfreezing conditions, which strains the airways and provokes respiratory symptoms. This study aimed to compare the prevalence of exercise-related symptoms and prolonged cough in competitive cross-country skiers versus the general population and to investigate the association between these symptoms and asthma.Methods A questionnaire was sent to Finnish cross-country skiers (n=1282) and a random sample of the general population (n=1754), with response rates of 26.9% and 19.0%, respectively.Results Both groups were mostly asymptomatic at rest, but symptoms were increased in both groups during and after exercise. Cough was more prevalent after exercise in skiers and phlegm production was more common during and after exercise in skiers. Asthma did not provoke specific symptoms, but symptom prevalence was higher in asthmatic individuals. Skiers had a higher prevalence of cough after exercise (60.6% vs 22.8%, p<0.001) compared with controls, but controls had a higher prevalence of prolonged cough (4.1% vs 9.6%, p=0.004). In participants without asthma, cold air triggered symptoms more often in skiers than controls, while strong odours triggered symptoms more often in asthmatic controls than skiers. Chronic cough lasting more than 8 weeks was rare, reported by 4.8% of controls and 2.0% of skiers.Conclusion Cross-country skiers, especially those with asthma, experience a higher burden of exercise-related respiratory symptoms compared with controls. However, repeated exposure to cold air does not appear to result in long-term hypersensitivity of the cough reflex arc.https://bmjopensem.bmj.com/content/9/2/e001502.full |
| spellingShingle | Jari Parkkari Maarit Valtonen Jussi Karjalainen Lauri Lehtimäki Heini Huhtala Heikki Koskela Rikhard Mäki-Heikkilä Cross-country skiers often experience respiratory symptoms during and after exercise but have a low prevalence of prolonged cough BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine |
| title | Cross-country skiers often experience respiratory symptoms during and after exercise but have a low prevalence of prolonged cough |
| title_full | Cross-country skiers often experience respiratory symptoms during and after exercise but have a low prevalence of prolonged cough |
| title_fullStr | Cross-country skiers often experience respiratory symptoms during and after exercise but have a low prevalence of prolonged cough |
| title_full_unstemmed | Cross-country skiers often experience respiratory symptoms during and after exercise but have a low prevalence of prolonged cough |
| title_short | Cross-country skiers often experience respiratory symptoms during and after exercise but have a low prevalence of prolonged cough |
| title_sort | cross country skiers often experience respiratory symptoms during and after exercise but have a low prevalence of prolonged cough |
| url | https://bmjopensem.bmj.com/content/9/2/e001502.full |
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