Effects of inhaled bronchodilators and corticosteroids on exercise induced arterial hypoxaemia in trained male athletes

Objectives: To determine the effect of prophylactic treatment with an inhaled bronchodilator and antiinflammatory on arterial saturation ( SaO(2)) in trained non- asthmatic male athletes with exercise induced arterial hypoxaemia ( EIAH). Methods: Nine male athletes ( mean ( SD) age 26.3 ( 6.7) years, height 182.6 ( 7.9) cm, weight 79.3 ( 10.5) kg, VO(2)MAX 62.3 ( 6.3) ml/ kg/ min, SaO(2)MIN 92.5 ( 1.1)%) with no history of asthma were tested in two experimental conditions. A combination of a therapeutic dose of salbutamol and fluticasone or an inert placebo was administered in a randomised crossover design for seven days before maximal cycling exercise. Oxygen consumption ( VO2), ventilation ( VE), heart rate ( HR), power output, and SaO(2) were monitored during the exercise tests. Results: There were no significant differences between the drug ( D) and placebo ( P) conditions for minimal SaO(2) ( D = 93.6 ( 1.4), P = 93.0 ( 1.1)%; p = 0.93) VO(2)MAX ( D = 61.5 ( 7.2), P = 61.9 ( 6.3) ml/ kg/ min; p = 0.91), peak power ( D = 444.4 ( 48.3), P = 449.4 ( 43.9) W; p = 0.90), peak VE ( D = 147.8 ( 19.1), P = 149.2 ( 15.5) litres/ min; p = 0.82), or peak heart rate ( D = 182.3 ( 10.0), P = 180.8 ( 5.5) beats/ min; p = 0.76). Conclusions: A therapeutic dose of salbutamol and fluticasone did not attenuate EIAH during maximal cycling in a group of trained male non- asthmatic athletes.