Immune function in female elite rowers and non-athletes

Objective-To compare immune function in female rowers and controls in the r esting state, and then correlate the results with a two month history of up per respiratory tract infection (URTI). Methods-Subjects included 20 elite female rowers located at the ARCO Olympic Training Centre in Chula Vista, C alifornia, and 19 non-athletic female controls. These two groups were compa red cross sectionally for immune function and infection rates. Results-Granulocyte/monocyte phagocytosis, oxidative burst activity, and pl asma cytokine concentrations (interleukin-6, tumour necrosis factor-alpha, and interleukin-1 receptor antagonist) did not differ significantly between groups. Phytohaemagglutinin induced lymphocyte proliferative response (adj usted whole blood method) was significantly higher (31% and 36% for optimal and suboptimal concentrations respectively) in rowers than in controls. Na tural killer cell activity was substantially higher (1.6-fold for total lyt ic units) in the female rowers than in controls. Two month health logs disc losed 5.2 (1.2) and 3.3 (1.1) days with URTI symptoms for the rowers and co ntrols respectively (p = 0.268). For all 39 subjects combined, and for the 20 rowers separately, none of the immune parameters correlated significantl y with number of days with URTI symptoms. Conclusions-In this cross sectional comparison of elite female rowers and n onathletes, a group difference was found for natural killer cell activity a nd phytohaemagglutinin induced proliferative response (whole blood techniqu e), but not other measures of immune function. The number of days with URTI symptoms during the spring season did not differ between groups, and varia tions in blood measures of immunity were unrelated to URTI.