Muscular damage and intravascular haemolysis during an 18 hour subterranean exploration in a cave of 700 m depth

Objective: To verify presence and severity of muscular and/or intravascular damage during a subterranean exploration of long duration. Methods: We measured serum levels of creatine kinase (CK) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) as markers of muscular damage. We also measured haptoglobin as a marker of...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:British journal of sports medicine 2006-03, Vol.40 (3), p.235-238
Main Authors: Stenner, E, Gianoli, E, Biasioli, B, Piccinini, C, Delbello, G, Bussani, A
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Biomarkers - blood
Blood
Body Mass Index
Caves
CK-MB
creatine kinase
Creatine Kinase - blood
creatine kinase isoenzyme MB
Diagnostic tests
endurance
Experiments
Exploration
Extreme sports
haptoglobin
Haptoglobins - analysis
Hematology
Hemolysis - physiology
Hospitals
Humans
Inflammation - blood
L-Lactate Dehydrogenase - blood
lactate dehydrogenase
LDH
Middle Aged
muscle damage
Muscle, Skeletal - blood supply
Muscle, Skeletal - physiology
Muscular system
Original
Physical Endurance - physiology
Potholing
Sports - physiology
Sports injuries
Studies
Temperature
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Objective: To verify presence and severity of muscular and/or intravascular damage during a subterranean exploration of long duration. Methods: We measured serum levels of creatine kinase (CK) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) as markers of muscular damage. We also measured haptoglobin as a marker of intravascular haemolysis, and platelets and leucocytes as markers of inflammation. Results: We found in all the participants an increase in CK, LDH, and platelets and leucocytes (mainly due to neutrophilia and monocytosis), and a decrease in the level of haptoglobin and circulating lymphocytes. Conclusions: The observed data suggest that continuous effort during long alpine subterranean explorations, environmental conditions, sleep deprivation, multiple impacts on rocks, and compression caused by bindings of the caving harness cause muscle damage, intravascular haemolysis, inflammation response, and immunological changes.
ISSN:0306-3674
1473-0480
DOI:10.1136/bjsm.2005.021402