Winter Exercise Reduces Allergic Airway Inflammation: A Randomized Controlled Study

Johanna Prossegger, Daniela Huber, Carina Grafetstätter, Christina Pichler, Herbert Braunschmid, Renate Weisböck-Erdheim and Arnulf Hartl
Additional contact information
Johanna Prossegger: Institute of Ecomedicine, Paracelsus Medical University Salzburg, 5020 Salzburg, Austria
Daniela Huber: Institute of Ecomedicine, Paracelsus Medical University Salzburg, 5020 Salzburg, Austria
Carina Grafetstätter: Institute of Ecomedicine, Paracelsus Medical University Salzburg, 5020 Salzburg, Austria
Christina Pichler: Institute of Ecomedicine, Paracelsus Medical University Salzburg, 5020 Salzburg, Austria
Herbert Braunschmid: Institute of Ecomedicine, Paracelsus Medical University Salzburg, 5020 Salzburg, Austria
Renate Weisböck-Erdheim: Institute of Ecomedicine, Paracelsus Medical University Salzburg, 5020 Salzburg, Austria
Arnulf Hartl: Institute of Ecomedicine, Paracelsus Medical University Salzburg, 5020 Salzburg, Austria

IJERPH, 2019, vol. 16, issue 11, 1-15

Abstract: Background: Physical exercise is often recommended as additional treatment for people suffering from allergic rhinitis and/or asthma, but less is known about the specific effects of recreational winter outdoor exercise on allergic airway inflammation. Methods: We performed a longitudinal, randomized controlled intervention study to investigate the effects of recreational winter exercise on allergic airway inflammation, quality of life, spirometry and cardiorespiratory fitness in adults suffering from allergic rhinitis and/or asthma. The exercise group participated in a ten-day winter sports program. The control group did not receive any intervention. Results: A significant improvement of fractional oral exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO; p = 0.008, day 10) and a significant decrease in FeNO after a single 4 h hiking tour ( p < 0.001, time effect) were observed for the exercise group. The nasal eosinophilic cell count revealed a short-term reduction ( p = 0.021, treatment effect) in the exercise group and for the visual analogue scale sustainable improvements in allergic symptoms ( p < 0.001, day 60) were found. No adverse effects of outdoor winter exercise were observed. Conclusion: Recreational winter exercise at moderately cold temperatures reduces allergic airway inflammation measured as FeNO, nasal eosinophilic cell count and induces sustainable improvements in allergic symptoms.

Keywords: allergy; allergic rhinitis; asthma; exercise; exhaled nitric oxide (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/16/11/2040/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/16/11/2040/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:16:y:2019:i:11:p:2040-:d:238205

Access Statistics for this article

IJERPH is currently edited by Ms. Jenna Liu

More articles in IJERPH from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().