Viral illnesses are the most common agents affecting humans. Due to their widespread affects, viruses may have a particular influence on exercise functional capacity. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine the impact of an Upper Respiratory Infection (URI) on exercise functional capacity, as measured by VO2max. In addition, submaximal exercise responses, changes in resting pulmonary function, the impact of select symptoms, and level of initial fitness on performance during an URI were also determined. Forty-five subjects (females=21, male=24) between 18 and 29 years of age participated in this study and were assigned to a mild or severe illness group based on symptom severity. There was also a control group of 10 subjects (female=5, male=5). An initial serological screening was performed on all experimental subjects to assess for the RV16 antibody.Subjects testing negative for the antibody performed a baseline graded exercise test to volitional fatigue, as well as pulmonary function tests. Each subject was inoculated two consecutive days with the RV16 virus within ten days of the baseline exercise test. The day following the second inoculation (peak illness) the subjects performed post-pulmonary function and exercise tests. The control subjects performed two resting pulmonary function and exercise tests separated by one week. Significance was set at p<0.05. Repeated measures ANOVA revealed a significant interaction in V02 at submaximal and maximal levels between trials for all groups (p<0.045). A significant interaction for VE for all levels and all groups was found (p<0.002). No impairment in resting pulmonary function was observed. Analyses of symptoms, and initial V02 in regard to performance, also revealed no significant differences. Therefore, the results seem to indicate that an URI does not limit one's ability to perform at submaximal or maximal levels of exercise, however, some relationship seems to exist. Further research is needed to clarify the effects of an URI on physical performance. / School of Physical Education
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:BSU/oai:cardinalscholar.bsu.edu:handle/185082 |
| Date | January 1994 |
| Creators | Anderson, Beth Naomi |
| Contributors | Ball State University. School of Physical Education., Weidner, Thomas G. |
| Source Sets | Ball State University |
| Detected Language | English |
| Format | ix, 80 leaves ; 28 cm. |
| Source | Virtual Press |
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