Ventilatory Disorders in Elite Athletes: Comparative Study between High-Level Athletes and Sedentary Subjects in a Sub-Saharan African Country

Background/Objective: Very intense and repeated exercise, particularly when performed over many years, could cause respiratory health problems. The combination of a sustained high ventilation and provocative training environments may impact the susceptibility of athletes to ventilatory disorders. Previous studies suggest that impaired ventilatory function in elite athletes can be detected in the absence of respiratory symptoms even after cessation of sports activity. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the ventilatory function of elite athletes compared to sedentary subjects. Material and Methods: This study included sedentary subjects and elite athletes, all male, aged 16 to 23 years. The athletes played regularly in the Senegalese league 1 championships (football and basketball) for at least two seasons with more than 10 hours of training per week during two years. For all participants, an interrogation was submitted and we conducted a clinic examination was performed following by a basic and post-bronchodilator spirometry. Results: The mean age of athletes (n = 66) and sedentary subjects (n = 61) was respectively 19.16 ± 2 years and 19.54 ± 2.12 years. The elite athletes presented significantly higher spirometry values (p < 0.05) than sedentary subjects for the following parameters: FVC, FEV1, FEF50%, FEF25%, FEF25%-75% and MVV. The prevalence of ventilatory disorders was 72.73% (n = 48) in athletes with a predominance of mixed ventilatory disorders (36.36%). Twelve athletes (18.62%) presented an asthma after carrying out the reversibility test. Conclusion: This study found a high prevalence (72.73%) of ventilatory disorders (VD) in Senegalese elite athletes. Many previously undiagnosed elite athletes had significant ventilatory problems. To prevent the respiratory risk, athletes should be encouraged to avoid certain environmental factors and to adapt the period of their training.