Computerized tomography and pulmonary diffusing capacity in highly
-trained athletes after performing a triathlon.
Caillaud, Corinne, Olivier Serre-Cousine, Florence Anselme, Xavier
Capdevilla, Christian Prefaut.
Laboratoire de Physiologie des Interactions, Service EFR, Service
de Radiologie, Hopital Arnaud de Villeneuve, 34 295 Montpellier cedex
5, France
APStracts 2:0283A, 1995.
Although heavy exercise is suspected to induce an increase in
pulmonary extravascular water, there is no radiographic evidence of
interstitial pulmonary edema in athletes after running a long
-distance race. The purpose of this study was to investigate the
computerized tomographies (CT) of the thorax and the pulmonary
diffusing capacity for CO (D L CO) in highly-trained athletes before
and after a triathlon (1.5 km swimming, 40 km cycling, 10 km
running). Eight male competitors participated in the study. D L CO
and alveolar volume (VA) were simultaneously measured during 9 s of
breath-holding. The transfer coefficient (KCO = D L CO/VA) was then
calculated. CT scanning was performed during breath-holding after
complete inspiration with the subjects in the supine position. Scans
of 1mm thickness were taken every 10 mm from the lower body of the
third thoracic vertebra. Scanner analysis was done by: 1) counting
the linear and polygonal opacities (index of interstitial fluid
accumulation) and 2) calculating the physical mean lung density (MLD)
and the mean slice mass. Scanning slice levels were comparable before
and after the race for each subject. Mean time performance was 2:04
+/- 0:32 hr. Results showed a significant reduction in D L CO (44.9
+/- 2.3 vs 42.9 +/- 1.7 ml.min -1 .mmHg -1 p<0.05) and KCO (6.0
+/- 0.3 vs 5.6 +/- 0.3 ml.min -1 .mmHg -1 /l of VA, p<0.05) 95
min after the triathlon. MLD and slice mass increased in all subjects
(0.21 +/- 0.009 vs 0.25 +/- 0.01 g.cm -3 ; p<0.0001 for MLD and
1.5 +/- 0.07 vs 1.9 +/- 0.07 for slice mass). In addition, the number
of polygonal and linear opacities increased after the race
(p<0.001). This study confirmed that D L CO and KCO decrease in
elite athletes following a long-distance race, indicating an overall
reduction in pulmonary diffusing capacity. Consistent with this
observation was the concomitant 19% and 21% increase in CT lung
density and slice mass, respectively, and the higher number of
opacities. These data ? suggest an increase in interstitial fluid
after the triathlon.
Received 7 April 1994; accepted in final form 30 May 1995.
APS Manuscript Number A319-4.
Article publication pending Journal of Applied Physiology.
ISSN 1080-4757 Copyright 1995 The American Physiological Society.
Published in APStracts on 11 July 1995.