Incidence of asthma symptoms and decreased pulmonary function in young amateur swimmers.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the incidence of asthma symptoms in young amateur swimmers, and to describe the clinical treatment of the children with asthma in a private sports club in the city of São Paulo, Brazil. METHODS The study included 171 amateur swimmers, ranging from 6 to14 years of age. All of the participants or their legal guardians were asked to complete the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) questionnaire, and 119 were submitted to pulmonary function testing at rest. RESULTS The overall incidence of asthma symptoms (ISAAC score > 6) among the swimmers was 16.8%. Of the 119 swimmers submitted to spirometry, 39 (32.7%) presented spirometric alterations (FEV1/FVC < 0.75). Among those with an ISAAC score > 6, there were 10 (31.2%) who stated that they were receiving no asthma treatment. Of those who reported receiving pharmacological treatment, 24% made use of bronchodilators but not of corticosteroids. CONCLUSIONS The incidence of asthma symptoms and pulmonary function alterations among amateur swimmers within the 6-14 age bracket was high. In addition, a relevant proportion of these athletes were receiving no treatment.