O02 - Exercise-induced bronchoconstriction in young athletes

Methods Football players (n=24), basketball players (n=15), swimmers (n=12) were recruited at the elite sport high school (12-14 years old) in Leuven (Belgium). Age-matched controls (n=7) were recruited among children performing sports at a recreational level. Eucapnic voluntary hyperventilation test was used to assess EIB according to previous standards. Subjects breathed a gas mixture (5% CO2, 21% O2 and 74% N2) at a target rate of 85% of their maximal voluntary ventilation (MVV) per minute (assessed before the EVH test) for 6 minutes. Spirometry was performed at 1, 5, 10 and 15 min after the EVH challenge. EVH test was considered positive if the fall in FEV1 ≥10%. Allergy for house dust mite, grass pollen, tree pollen, weeds, dog and moulds was assessed by skin prick test (considered positive if at least one SPT was positive).