Table 4.
Lung function and fractional expired nitric oxide (FENO) among elite athletes, divided into summer and winter athletes and across sport categories.
| Summer (n = 80) mean (95% CI) | Winter (n = 55) mean (95% CI) | p value | Endurance (n = 64) mean (95% CI) | Team sport (n = 50) mean (95% CI) | Technical (n = 21) mean (95% CI) | p value | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FEV1 | (% pred) | 105 (103, 108) | 96 (93, 99) | <0.001 | 99 (96, 101) | 107 (104, 110) | 96 (90, 102) | <0.001 |
| z-FEV1 | 0.45 (0.26, 0.65) | −0.33 (−0.58, −0.08) | <0.001 | −0.11 (−0.33, 0.11) | 0.63 (0.37, 0.38) | −0.33 (−0.80, 0.15) | <0.001 | |
| LLN (n, %) | 0 (0%) | 4 (7.4%) | 0.026 | 2 (3.2%) | 0 (0%) | 2 (9.5%) | <0.001 | |
|
| ||||||||
| FVC | (% pred) | 108 (106, 111) | 102 (100, 105) | 0.001 | 106 (103, 108) | 108 (106, 111) | 99 (95, 103) | <0.001 |
| z-FVC | 0.66 (0.47, 0.84) | 0.19 (−0.0, 0.4) | 0.002 | 0.49 (0.29, 0.70) | 0.66 (0.43, 0.89) | −0.11 (−0.46, 0.24) | <0.001 | |
| LLN (n, %) | 0 (0%) | 0 (0%) | ns | 0 (0%) | 0 (0%) | 0 (0%) | ns | |
|
| ||||||||
| MEF25–75 | (% pred) | 108 (103, 113) | 97 (90, 104) | 0.005 | 96 (90, 102) | 114 (108, 121) | 101 (90, 111) | <0.001 |
| z-MEF25–75 | 0.35 (0.12, 0.58) | −0.17 (−0.46, 0.11) | 0.004 | −0.21 (−0.45, 0.36) | 0.58 (0.30, 0.86) | 0.10 (−0.46, 0.67) | <0.001 | |
| LLN (n, %) | 1 (1.3%) | 4 (7.4%) | 0.158 | 4 (6.3%) | 0 (0%) | 1 (4.8%) | <0.001 | |
|
| ||||||||
| FEV1/FVC | (% pred) | 97 (95, 98) | 93 (91, 95) | 0.007 | 93 (91, 94) | 98 (96, 100) | 96 (93, 100) | <0.001 |
| z-FEV1/FVC | −0.37 (−0.57, −0.17) | −0.81 (−1.07, −0.55) | 0,005 | −0.89 (−1.12, −0.67) | −0.16 (−0.41, 0.09) | −0.45 (−0.85, −0.05) | <0.001 | |
| LLN (n, %) | 5 (6.3%) | 10 (18.5%) | 0.027 | 11 (17.5%) | 2 (4.0%) | 2 (9.5%) | 0.001 | |
| FENO (ppb)∗ | 14.2 (10.5) | 13.6 (8.7) | 0.933 | 13.7 (9.6) | 14.2 (9.0) | 12.8 (12.4) | 0.867 | |
∗ median (interquartile range); ns = not significant; FEV1 = forced expiratory volume in one second; FVC = forced vital capacity; MEF25–75 = mean expiratory flow between 25 and 75% of FVC; LLN = lower limit of normal; ppb = parts per billion.