Training in chlorinated indoor swimming pools can lead to mild asthma like changes in the lungs of swimmers. This is the finding of a new study published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. Chlorine, which is used as a disinfectant in the swimming pool, reacts with human sweat and hair to form dangerous by-products. These by-products are inhaled by the swimmers while exercising in the pool and leads to changes in the airways, akin to those in mild asthmatics.
The study was led by Dr. Valerie Baugault from the Lille 2 University of Health and Law in France. He, along with his colleagues, compared the lung tissue of 23 Canadian swimmers, to the lung tissues of ten healthy individuals and ten mild asthmatics. The average age of the swimmers was 21 years. The samples of lung tissue were collected in the off season when the swimmers were not practicing in the pool. Apart from the examination of the lung tissue, the swimmers were also made to undergo various tests like nitric oxide measurement, methacholine test, etc. to measure their lung functions. The swimmers were also subjected to allergy skin prick tests
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The researchers noticed that the swimmers had an abnormal number of eosinophils and mast cells in their airway mucosa. The numbers were much more than those found in healthy individuals and comparable to those with mild asthma. They also exhibited increased hyperplasia of goblet cells and higher expression of mucin. However, the tests for lung function did not correlate with these inflammatory and remodeling changes in the airways. The researchers found out that exposure to chlorine by-products can lead to hypersensitivity to other allergens like pollens, animal dander, etc.
The researchers have advised the swimmers to avoid practicing in pools with a strong chlorine odor. They have also been advised to practice better personal hygiene, like bathing before and after swimming, in order to reduce exposure to chlorine by-products.
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