Title: Exercise Induced Bronchospasm (EIB) in Athletes<br/>Author: Brian Corwell<br/><a href='http://umem.org/profiles/faculty/294/'>[Click to email author]</a><hr/><p>
<strong>Respiratory symptoms are often the basis for the diagnosis and treatment of EIB.</strong></p>
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<strong>Self-reported Sx’s (cough, chest tightness, SOB, wheezing) have both poor sensitivity and poor specificity for diagnosis. </strong></p>
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<strong> Of these, wheezing is most predictive</strong></p>
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<strong>Symptoms do not correlate with changes in airway caliber in athletes with EIB.</strong></p>
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<strong>78% of family physicians and almost 50% of pulmonologists start empiric treatment before exercise based on reported symptoms.</strong></p>
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<strong>Approximately 50% of athletes with symptoms of EIB in this study did not have EIB when PFTs were performed. </strong></p>
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<strong>Physicians should not rely solely on symptoms for EIB diagnosis.</strong></p>
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<strong>Also, improvement in self-reported symptoms after administration of beta2 agonists should not be used to make a formal diagnosis.</strong></p>
<fieldset><legend>References</legend>
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<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25710876" title="Medicine and science in sports and exercise.">Med Sci Sports Exerc.</a> 2015 Oct;47(10):2005-13. Simpson AJ.</p>
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Self-reported Symptoms after Induced and Inhibited Bronchoconstriction in Athletes.</p>
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