Association between thermal responses, medical events, performance, heat acclimation and health status in male and female elite athletes during the 2019 Doha World Athletics Championships

Racinais, S; Havenith, G; Aylwin, P; Ihsan, M; Taylor, L; Adami, PE; Adamuz, M-C; Alhammoud, M; Alonso, JM; Bouscaren, N; Buitrago, S; Cardinale, M; van Dyk, N; Esh, CJ; Gomez-Ezeiza, J; Garrandes, F; Holtzhausen, L

Association between thermal responses, medical events, performance, heat acclimation and health status in male and female elite athletes during the 2019 Doha World Athletics Championships

Racinais, S Havenith, G Aylwin, P Ihsan, M Taylor, L Adami, PE Adamuz, M-C Alhammoud, M Alonso, JM Bouscaren, N Buitrago, S Cardinale, M van Dyk, N Esh, CJ Gomez-Ezeiza, J Garrandes, F Holtzhausen, L

Permalink

Publisher:: BMJ
Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Br J Sports Med, 2022, 56, (8), pp. 439-445
Issue Date:: 2022-02-14

Open Access

Copyright Clearance Process

Recently Added
In Progress
Open Access

This item is open access.

Adobe PDF

Download Published versionAdobe PDF (1.26 MB)

View on publisher's site

View statistics

Full metadata record

Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Racinais, S
dc.contributor.author	Havenith, G
dc.contributor.author	Aylwin, P
dc.contributor.author	Ihsan, M
dc.contributor.author	Taylor, L
dc.contributor.author	Adami, PE
dc.contributor.author	Adamuz, M-C
dc.contributor.author	Alhammoud, M
dc.contributor.author	Alonso, JM
dc.contributor.author	Bouscaren, N
dc.contributor.author	Buitrago, S
dc.contributor.author	Cardinale, M
dc.contributor.author	van Dyk, N
dc.contributor.author	Esh, CJ
dc.contributor.author	Gomez-Ezeiza, J
dc.contributor.author	Garrandes, F
dc.contributor.author	Holtzhausen, L
dc.date.accessioned	2023-07-05T21:23:44Z
dc.date.available	2022-01-26
dc.date.available	2023-07-05T21:23:44Z
dc.date.issued	2022-02-14
dc.identifier.citation	Br J Sports Med, 2022, 56, (8), pp. 439-445
dc.identifier.issn	0306-3674
dc.identifier.issn	1473-0480
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/171212
dc.description.abstract	PURPOSE: To determine associations between thermal responses, medical events, performance, heat acclimation and health status during a World Athletics Championships in hot-humid conditions.METHODS: From 305 marathon and race-walk starters, 83 completed a preparticipation questionnaire on health and acclimation. Core (Tcore; ingestible pill) and skin (Tskin; thermal camera) temperatures were measured in-competition in 56 and 107 athletes, respectively. 70 in-race medical events were analysed retrospectively. Performance (% personal best) and did not finish (DNF) were extracted from official results.RESULTS: Peak Tcore during competition reached 39.6°C±0.6°C (maximum 41.1°C). Tskin decreased from 32.2°C±1.3°C to 31.0°C±1.4°C during the races (p 0.001). Tcore was not related to DNF (25% of starters) or medical events (p≥0.150), whereas Tskin, Tskin rate of decrease and Tcore-to-Tskin gradient were (p≤0.029). A third of the athletes reported symptoms in the 10 days preceding the event, mainly insomnia, diarrhoea and stomach pain, with diarrhoea (9% of athletes) increasing the risk of in-race medical events (71% vs 17%, p 0.001). Athletes (63%) who performed 5-30 days heat acclimation before the competition: ranked better (18±13 vs 28±13, p=0.009), displayed a lower peak Tcore (39.4°C±0.4°C vs 39.8°C±0.7°C, p=0.044) and larger in-race decrease in Tskin (-1.4°C±1.0°C vs -0.9°C±1.2°C, p=0.060), than non-acclimated athletes. Although not significant, they also showed lower DNF (19% vs 30%, p=0.273) and medical events (19% vs 32%, p=0.179).CONCLUSION: Tskin, Tskin rate of decrease and Tcore-to-Tskin gradient were important indicators of heat tolerance. While heat-acclimated athletes ranked better, recent diarrhoea represented a significant risk factor for DNF and in-race medical events.
dc.format	Print-Electronic
dc.language	eng
dc.publisher	BMJ
dc.relation.ispartof	Br J Sports Med
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1136/bjsports-2021-104569
dc.rights	info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
dc.subject	09 Engineering, 11 Medical and Health Sciences, 13 Education
dc.subject.classification	Sport Sciences
dc.subject.classification	3202 Clinical sciences
dc.subject.classification	4207 Sports science and exercise
dc.subject.classification	5201 Applied and developmental psychology
dc.subject.mesh	Acclimatization
dc.subject.mesh	Athletes
dc.subject.mesh	Body Temperature Regulation
dc.subject.mesh	Female
dc.subject.mesh	Health Status
dc.subject.mesh	Hot Temperature
dc.subject.mesh	Humans
dc.subject.mesh	Male
dc.subject.mesh	Retrospective Studies
dc.subject.mesh	Walking
dc.subject.mesh	Humans
dc.subject.mesh	Walking
dc.subject.mesh	Retrospective Studies
dc.subject.mesh	Health Status
dc.subject.mesh	Acclimatization
dc.subject.mesh	Body Temperature Regulation
dc.subject.mesh	Female
dc.subject.mesh	Male
dc.subject.mesh	Hot Temperature
dc.subject.mesh	Athletes
dc.subject.mesh	Acclimatization
dc.subject.mesh	Athletes
dc.subject.mesh	Body Temperature Regulation
dc.subject.mesh	Female
dc.subject.mesh	Health Status
dc.subject.mesh	Hot Temperature
dc.subject.mesh	Humans
dc.subject.mesh	Male
dc.subject.mesh	Retrospective Studies
dc.subject.mesh	Walking
dc.title	Association between thermal responses, medical events, performance, heat acclimation and health status in male and female elite athletes during the 2019 Doha World Athletics Championships
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	56
utslib.location.activity	England
utslib.for	09 Engineering
utslib.for	11 Medical and Health Sciences
utslib.for	13 Education
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Health
utslib.copyright.status	open_access	*
dc.date.updated	2023-07-05T21:23:40Z
pubs.issue	8
pubs.publication-status	Published
pubs.volume	56
utslib.citation.issue	8

Abstract:

PURPOSE: To determine associations between thermal responses, medical events, performance, heat acclimation and health status during a World Athletics Championships in hot-humid conditions.METHODS: From 305 marathon and race-walk starters, 83 completed a preparticipation questionnaire on health and acclimation. Core (Tcore; ingestible pill) and skin (Tskin; thermal camera) temperatures were measured in-competition in 56 and 107 athletes, respectively. 70 in-race medical events were analysed retrospectively. Performance (% personal best) and did not finish (DNF) were extracted from official results.RESULTS: Peak Tcore during competition reached 39.6°C±0.6°C (maximum 41.1°C). Tskin decreased from 32.2°C±1.3°C to 31.0°C±1.4°C during the races (p 0.001). Tcore was not related to DNF (25% of starters) or medical events (p≥0.150), whereas Tskin, Tskin rate of decrease and Tcore-to-Tskin gradient were (p≤0.029). A third of the athletes reported symptoms in the 10 days preceding the event, mainly insomnia, diarrhoea and stomach pain, with diarrhoea (9% of athletes) increasing the risk of in-race medical events (71% vs 17%, p 0.001). Athletes (63%) who performed 5-30 days heat acclimation before the competition: ranked better (18±13 vs 28±13, p=0.009), displayed a lower peak Tcore (39.4°C±0.4°C vs 39.8°C±0.7°C, p=0.044) and larger in-race decrease in Tskin (-1.4°C±1.0°C vs -0.9°C±1.2°C, p=0.060), than non-acclimated athletes. Although not significant, they also showed lower DNF (19% vs 30%, p=0.273) and medical events (19% vs 32%, p=0.179).CONCLUSION: Tskin, Tskin rate of decrease and Tcore-to-Tskin gradient were important indicators of heat tolerance. While heat-acclimated athletes ranked better, recent diarrhoea represented a significant risk factor for DNF and in-race medical events.

Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item:

http://hdl.handle.net/10453/171212