ABSTRACT
This chapter covers: the key facts and figures regarding asthma and exercise-induced bronchoconstriction (EIB) in athletes, type of athletes who appear most susceptible to the development of EIB and the pathophysiology of asthma/EIB in athletes. One of the earliest studies that showed EIB was more common in endurance-trained athletes was conducted in Scandinavian elite track and field athletes. The warm and humid environment encountered by swimmers is in stark contrast to the cold dry environment typically experienced by winter athletes. Young athletes generally appear less at risk of asthma or EIB than adult athletes. The chapter discusses the different reasons proposed and a unified hypothesis. It introduces the concept of ‘airway injury’ as a model to explain why athletes are more susceptible to the development of EIB. The chapter covers How to assess airway inflammation and injury. EIB describes a transient narrowing of the airways that occurs in response to strenuous exercise.
