CHANGES IN SEVERAL NEUTROPHIL FUNCTIONS IN BASKETBALL PLAYERS BEFORE,DURING AND AFTER THE SPORTS SEASON

Neutrophils play an important role in the immune system, forming the ' 'first line of defense'' against invading microorganisms and there are few data available concerning neutrophil functions in relation to exe rcise. We investigated in 7 basketball professional players possible c hanges before, during and after the sports season, in some haematologi cal parameters and in several aspects of the phagocytic process of neu trophils, such as adhesion, superoxide anion release and bactericidal activity. Training and competitions produced a significant rise in the number of total leukocytes and differential counts, but the values re turned to the pre-start levels 3 weeks after the end of the championsh ip. The bactericidal activity and the superoxide anion released were s ignificantly greater during the sports season, while the percentage of cellular adhesion significantly decreased during the championship; af ter the sports season the values returned to the control levels. As in the literature data concerning neutrophil functions in relation to ex ercise are non-convergent, it is important in our opinion, to understa nd whether the alterations induced by exercise can persist after repea ted stimuli.