TITLE:
Exercise-Induced Bronchospasm, Prevalence and Associated Factors in University Students in STAPS
AUTHORS:
Paul Roger Mabounda Kounga, Alain Boussana, Florent Nsompi, Hue Olivier
KEYWORDS:
Bronchoconstriction, Air Pollution, Sports Health, Respiratory Asthma, Athlete
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Biosciences and Medicines,
Vol.13 No.1,
January
16,
2025
ABSTRACT: Background: There are links between physical exercise, fine particles and the prevalence of exercise-induced bronchospasm (EIB). Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of exercise-induced bronchospasm in students of sciences and techniques of physical activities and sports (STAPS) exercising in a hot, humid and relatively polluted environment. Methods: Twenty-two first-year undergraduate students, including 11 in PE and 11 in SPORT, aged 21.64 ± 1.80 years, participated in a football match. Resting spirometry was performed before and 5 minutes after the match. During the match, particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10) was measured every 10 minutes around the football pitch. Ambient temperature and relative humidity were recorded. The diagnosis of EIB was based on a decrease in FEV1 of at least 10% after the match. If there was a decrease, the participant was considered susceptible to EIB. Results: Five subjects were positive for exercise-induced bronchospasm, a percentage of 22%. Ambient temperature and relative humidity were 34.22˚C ± 1.38˚C and 52.2% ± 4.97%, respectively. Concentrations of PM2.5 and PM10 were between 53.3 - 115.5 µg/m3 and 75.5 - 168.2 µg/m3, respectively, exceeding WHO limits. Conclusion: These results show a high incidence of exercise-induced bronchospasm in students without a history of asthma but exercising in a hot, humid and environment polluted by fine particles.