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Training in cold climates is an established risk factor for development of exercise-induced bronchoconstriction and asthma. Inhalation of large volumes of cold and dry air challenges the airways’ capacity to condition inspired air, leading to acute airway injury, and over time, bronchial hyperresponsiveness. We lack evidence-informed guidelines regarding ‘safe’ thresholds for exercise in cold climates, i.e., temperatures (as well as exercise intensities/durations) that do not substantially increase the risk for healthy individuals to develop asthma. This study aimed to investigate the effect of temperature on systemic asthma- and exercise-associated cytokine responses to moderate-intensity exercise among healthy individuals. 31 healthy participants provided written, informed consent to participate in this randomised, crossover trial. On separate days, participants completed a 5 min warm up followed by 30 min running exercise (62-78% VO2peak) in a climate chamber at 10 or -10°C. Blood samples were taken pre and 1 h post-exercise and analysed for 10 cytokines (GM-CSF, IL-10, IL-13, IL-17E, IL-1β, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-8 and TNF-α) using multiplex ELISA. Values below the lower limit of detection for the assay were excluded. Data from 21 participants were analysed using two-way repeated measures ANOVA. IL-6 and IL-8 increased post-exercise (IL-6: log2 fold change: 0.47±0.67, p=0.001; IL-8: log2 fold change: 0.16±0.27, p=0.001). There were no differences in the response magnitude of any cytokine to exercise in -10 versus 10°C. We conclude that exposure to -10°C does not exacerbate inflammatory responses to moderate-intensity exercise, including for cytokines associated with exercise-induced asthma.

This article was presented at the 2022 ERS Lung Science Conference, in session “Poster Session 2”.This is an ERS Lung Science Conference abstract. No full-text version is available. Further material to accompany this abstract may be available at www.ers-education.org (ERS member access only).