MONOCLONAL-ANTIBODIES FOR EXERCISE-INDUCED FECAL BLOOD DETECTION - COMPARISON WITH HEMOFEC

The purpose of this investigation was to determine the incidence of fe cal occult blood in marathoners using an immunochemical technique (OC- Hemodia). Five stool specimens (2 pre- and 3 postrace) were collected from 24 male runners (mean age 41.4 +/- 9.3 yrs) and analysed for feca l occult blood using the OC-Hemodia test. The results were also compar ed with a qualitative test (Hemofec) in 12 subjects who were randomly selected from the overall group of 24 runners. With the immunochemical technique, the results evidenced the presence of fecal occult blood i n 8 subjects in the first postrace stool specimens. Four of these 8 su bjects also tested positive in the second postrace sample, whereas in the third postrace sample only one of them tested positive. With the q ualitative test, fecal blood was demonstrated in IO runners in the fir st postrace sample. Eight of them tested positive in the second sample , whereas only 5 tested positive in the third sample. The immunochemic al technique is recommended for fecal occult blood detection in marath oners.