Provocation by eucapnic voluntary hyperpnoea to identify exercise induced bronchoconstriction

The International Olympic Committee Medical Commission (IOC-MC) requires no tification for use of a beta (2) agonist at the Winter Olympic Games in Sal t Lake City. This notification will be required seven days before the event and must be accompanied by objective evidence that justifies the need to u se one. The IOC-MC has expressed the viewpoint that, at present, eucapnic v oluntary hyperpnoea (EVH) is the optimal laboratory challenge to confirm th at an athlete has exercise induced bronchoconstriction (EIB). The EVH test recommended was specifically designed to identify EIB. EVH has been perform ed in thousands of subjects in both the laboratory and the field. The test requires the subject to hyperventilate dry air containing 5% carbon dioxide at room temperature for six minutes at a target ventilation of 30 times th e subject's forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1). The test conditi ons can be modified to simulate the conditions that give the athlete their symptoms with exercise. A reduction in FEV1 of 10% or more of the value bef ore the test is considered positive.