The prevalence of exercise-induced bronchospasm among US Army recruits and its effects on physical performance

Abstract

Study objectives: To measure the prevalence of exercise-induced bronchospasm (EIB) and to determine its effect on the physical performance response to training in otherwise healthy young adults.

Design: Observational, retrospective study.

Setting: Fort Jackson, SC, May to July 1998.

Participants: One hundred thirty-seven ethnically diverse US Army recruits undergoing an 8-week Army basic training course.

Measurements and results: Subjects underwent exercise challenge testing at the end of basic training to evaluate for EIB (defined as a decrease in FEV(1) of > or = 15%, 1 or 10 min after running to peak oxygen uptake on a treadmill). Those subjects who were unable to run to peak oxygen uptake, or who were unable to perform two baseline FEV(1) maneuvers the results of which were within 5% of each other, were excluded from analysis. We measured peak oxygen uptake on a treadmill and the scores achieved on the components of the US Army physical fitness test (APFT). Of 137 subjects, 121 (58 men and 63 women) met our inclusion criteria. Eight subjects (7%) had EIB. Subjects who experienced EIB and unaffected control subjects both showed statistically significant gains in performance on the APFT events during basic training. At the end of basic training, peak oxygen uptake levels and APFT event scores were not significantly different between subjects with EIB and unaffected control subjects.

Conclusions: Seven percent of the US Army recruits who were tested had EIB, but this did not hinder their physical performance gains during basic training. EIB per se should not be an absolute reason to exclude individuals from employment in jobs with heavy physical demands.