Department of Translational Medical Sciences, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli," Naples, Italy.
Department of Mental Health and Public Medicine, Section of Statistics, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli," Naples, Italy.
Clin J Sport Med. 2020 Sep;30(5):465-469. doi: 10.1097/JSM.0000000000000678.
This study estimates the prevalence of allergic diseases in a group of Italian elite mountain bikers, compares the prevalence of infectious episodes between allergic and nonallergic athletes, and evaluates asthma and rhinitis symptom control in allergic athletes.
Two hundred twenty-six Italian nonsmoking mountain bikers received by mail the Allergy Questionnaire for Athletes (AQUA) and completed it. The RhinAsthma Patient Perspective (RAPP) questionnaire was sent to the 108 participants with a positive AQUA score and 104 returned the questionnaire.
Athletes with an AQUA score ≥5 or <5 were defined AQUA+ (allergic) or AQUA- (nonallergic), respectively. RhinAsthma Patient Perspective questionnaire total score ≥15 was indicative of a poor control of symptoms.
Of the 226 athletes, 47.8% were AQUA+, whereas 52.2% were AQUA-. A higher number of AQUA+ athletes reported frequent upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs) and herpes labialis than AQUA- athletes (P < 0.001), and the prevalence of URTI was greater in the subgroup of AQUA+ athletes who trained ≥3 hours per session. According to RAPP questionnaire score, 21.1% of AQUA+ mountain bikers had a poor control of asthma and rhinitis symptoms.
Our study shows a high prevalence of allergy among Italian elite mountain bikers whose asthma and rhinitis symptoms are poorly controlled in about a fifth of the sample. Allergic athletes, mainly those training more than 3 hours per session, are at higher risk of URTI and herpes labialis. Screening programs to detect allergic diseases and to evaluate symptom control in athletes should be strongly encouraged.
本研究估计了一组意大利精英山地自行车运动员中过敏性疾病的患病率，比较了过敏性和非过敏性运动员之间传染性发作的患病率，并评估了过敏性运动员的哮喘和鼻炎症状控制情况。
226 名意大利不吸烟的山地自行车运动员通过邮件收到了运动员过敏问卷（AQUA）并完成了问卷。108 名 AQUA 评分阳性的参与者收到了 RhinAsthma Patient Perspective（RAPP）问卷，其中 104 人返回了问卷。
AQUA 评分≥5 或<5 的运动员分别定义为 AQUA+（过敏）或 AQUA-（非过敏）。RhinAsthma Patient Perspective 问卷总分≥15 表示症状控制不佳。
在 226 名运动员中，47.8%为 AQUA+，52.2%为 AQUA-。与 AQUA-运动员相比，更多的 AQUA+运动员报告频繁的上呼吸道感染（URTI）和唇疱疹（P<0.001），且在每节训练时间≥3 小时的 AQUA+运动员亚组中，URTI 的患病率更高。根据 RAPP 问卷评分，21.1%的 AQUA+山地自行车运动员哮喘和鼻炎症状控制不佳。
我们的研究表明，意大利精英山地自行车运动员中过敏的患病率很高，其中约五分之一的样本哮喘和鼻炎症状控制不佳。过敏性运动员，主要是那些每节训练时间超过 3 小时的运动员，URTI 和唇疱疹的风险更高。应强烈鼓励开展筛查计划，以发现运动员中的过敏性疾病并评估症状控制情况。
