RICERCA ITALIANA     

Allergic and immunological diseases in athletes

Seconda Università degli Studi di Napoli

Abstract

Although physical exercise is a fundamental life-style factor for maintenance of a healthy state and prevention of several chronic diseases, when physical exercise is strenuous enough - in acute challenges - it may cause significant changes of several neuro-immune-endocrine parameters. On the other hand, data on the effects of a continuous and intense physical activity are more limited. Therefore, further studies have been suggested on this topic, also in view of the high prevalence in athletes of allergic and immunologic diseases as well as of upper respiratory tract infections. The project aims at offering an experimental contribution to this issue through a translational research pathway based on:

1.
Epidemiological studies on the prevalence of allergic, immunologic and upper respiratory tract infectious diseases both in athletes participating in Beijing Olympic and in a matched population of non-professional athletes.

2.
The study of the relationships between the neuro-immune-endocrine profile of the athletes studied (salivary IgA, flow cytometry of peripheral blood, plasma levels of cytokines and neurotrophins, etc.) and clinical picture in different training phases and in the Olympic competition, also in view of the expected high level of environmental pollution.

3.
Studies on the modulatory role of nutrition and drugs (beta-2 agonists) on the neuro-immune-endocrine profile.

4.
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Principal Investigator

Sergio Bonini Seconda Università degli Studi di NAPOLI

Research Objectives

Final aims of the project are:

1.
To collect data on the prevalence of allergic and immunologic diseases as well as on upper respiratory tract infections in both elite and non-professional athletes

2.
To collect data on the relationships between the clinical picture and changes of the neuro-immuno-endocrine profile of athletes in relation to lifestyle, nutrition, physical challenge (training/competition), and environmental conditions

3.
In particular, to collect data on the effects of cytokines, growth factors, autonomic nervous system mediators, sex hormones on the muscle in relation of the prominent role of this tissue in influencing athletic performance

4.
To identify marker of susceptibility/resistance to allergic and immunologica disease, to be used for optimising training programs and the management of the health status of athletes

5.
To favour networking with the International centres committed to study athletes participating in the Beijing Olympic through standard procedures, data and bio-banks, integration and comparison of results derived by a large population sample.

First Results

At present there a few studies on the effects of a continuous and intense physical exercise on the neuro-immune-endocrine response. The elite athlete represents an ideal model for providing further experimental data to existing knowledge on this topic. In particular, the studies on the relationships between NGF and the immune system represent a research area of growing interest, to whose birth and development the Scientific Coordinator and two research Units have significantly contributed with a scientific leadership internationally recognised.

The inclusion of epidemiological studies on athletes participating in Beijing 2008 Olympics in the framework of a wider international study, provides a certain added value to the project.

The results of clinical studies on the neuro-immune-endocrine phenotype of elite athletes at different training levels may have useful practical implications for defining diagnostic markers of overtraining as well as for the prevention and management of allergic and immunologic diseases in all subjects practising sport activity.

Timescale

12 months

National and international background

According to recommendation of the World Health Organization, European Union and Italian National Health Program for 2006-2008, physical exercise represents one of the major life style factors influencing the maintenance of a health status and prevention of several chronic diseases.

However, when physical exercise is continuously and intensively performed, such as in professional athletes, it may represent a stress event responsible for significant changes of the neuro-immune-endocrine system and eventually disease.

In fact, the prevalence of allergic diseases and immunodeficiencies associated with recurrent upper respiratory tract infections is significantly higher in athletes than in the general population. An immunological mechanism has also been suggested for the cases of Amiotrophic Lateral Sclerosis reported with a high incidence in athletes and particularly in soccer players (Lou Gehrig Syndrome).

The neuro-immune-endocrine response to physical exercise has been mainly studied in man after acute challenge, while data referring to intense and prolonged training are limited. Moreover, we lack of diagnostic protocols for identifying allergic and immunologica diseases in exercisers. Finally, there are a few studies aimed at evaluating the effects of nutrition and training programs in modulating the neuro-immune-endocrine response as well as at identifying markers of neuro-immune-endocrine unbalance (overreaching) before this >>>