Sex differences in asthma in swimmers and tennis players
(2017) In Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology 118(3). p.311-317- 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... (More)
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.
(Less)
- author
- Romberg, Kerstin LU ; Tufvesson, Ellen LU and Bjermer, Leif LU
- organization
- publishing date
- 2017
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- in
- Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology
- volume
- 118
- issue
- 3
- pages
- 311 - 317
- publisher
- Elsevier
- external identifiers
-
- pmid:28126431
- wos:000398935500014
- scopus:85009960918
- ISSN
- 1081-1206
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.anai.2016.12.013
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 1c5456ac-8957-4815-9e2c-e1dfbad361cc
- date added to LUP
- 2017-02-06 11:23:53
- date last changed
- 2024-04-14 03:38:57
@article{1c5456ac-8957-4815-9e2c-e1dfbad361cc,
abstract = {{<p>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.</p>}},
author = {{Romberg, Kerstin and Tufvesson, Ellen and Bjermer, Leif}},
issn = {{1081-1206}},
language = {{eng}},
number = {{3}},
pages = {{311--317}},
publisher = {{Elsevier}},
series = {{Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology}},
title = {{Sex differences in asthma in swimmers and tennis players}},
url = {{https://lup.lub.lu.se/search/files/28803510/21075362.pdf}},
doi = {{10.1016/j.anai.2016.12.013}},
volume = {{118}},
year = {{2017}},
}