García I, Drobnic F, Pons V, Viscor G. Swimming exercise transiently decrease lung diffusing capacity in elite swimmers.
J Sports Med Phys Fitness 2020;
61:666-672. [PMID:
33146491 DOI:
10.23736/s0022-4707.20.11302-1]
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Abstract
BACKGROUND
Swimmers have larger lungs and a higher diffusion capacity than other athletes, but it remains unknown whether swimming exercise changes lung diffusing properties. This study aimed to evaluate modifications in pulmonary alveolar-capillary diffusion after swimming exercise.
METHODS
The participants were 21 elite level swimmers, including 7 females and 14 males, with a training volume of 45-70 kilometers of swimming per week. The single-breath method was used to measure the lung diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide (DLCO and the transfer coefficient of the lungs for carbon monoxide (K<inf>CO</inf>) before and after 10 training sessions over 4 weeks along 207 pre- to postevaluations.
RESULTS
Swimming training consistently decreased lung diffusion capacity during the follow-up period, both DL<inf>CO</inf> (44.4±8.1 to 43.3±8.9 mL·min-1·mmHg-1, P=0.047, ŋ2<inf>p</inf>=0.55) and K<inf>CO</inf> (5.92±0.79 to 5.70±0.81 mL·min-1·mmHg-1·L-1, P=0.003, ŋ2<inf>p</inf>=0.75).
CONCLUSIONS
Elite swimmers experience a subclinical impairment in lung diffusing capacity after swimming exercise, but the stress caused by swimming on the lungs and the acute reduction in DL<inf>CO</inf> does not lead to physiological dysfunction.
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