Allergol Immunopathol (Madr). 2012;40(1):20---24 www.elsevier.es/ai ORIGINAL ARTICLE Effects of physical exercise on lung injury and oxidant stress in children with asthma Ozlem Gunay a,* , Ece Onur a , Ozge Yilmaz b , Pinar E. Dundar c , Canan Tikiz d , Ahmet Var a , Hasan Yuksel b a Celal Bayar University Medical Faculty, Dept of Biochemistry, Manisa, Turkey b Celal Bayar University Medical Faculty, Dept of Allergy and Pulmonology, Manisa, Turkey c Celal Bayar University Medical Faculty, Dept of Public Health, Manisa, Turkey d Celal Bayar University Medical Faculty, Dept of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Manisa, Turkey Received 22 July 2010; accepted 26 October 2010 Available online 19 February 2011 KEYWORDS Asthma; exercise training; Lung injury; Oxidant stress Abstract Background: The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of exercise training on oxidative stress and markers of lung inflammation in children with asthma. Methods: Thirty children aged 8-13 years diagnosed with asthma were enrolled in the study as well as 13 healthy children. One group received only pharmacological treatment and the other group was also enrolled in an exercise programme. Venous blood and 24-hour urine samples were obtained from the children enrolled in the study at the beginning and end of the study. Leukotriene E4 and creatinine levels were measured in the urine and matrix metallopeptidase (MMP-9), endothelin-1(ET-1), malnodialdehyde (MDA), IgE and specific IgE levels were measured in blood samples. Results: Leukotriene E4, MDA and MMP9 levels decreased significantly with treatment in both groups (p<0.001). However, ET-1 levels decreased significant only in the exercise group (26.5 ± 3.6 vs 21.3 ± 2.4pg/ml respectively, p=0.001). Moreover, ET-1 levels were found to be significantly lower in the exercise group compared to the only pharmacotherapy group (24.2 ± 3.1 vs 21.3 ± 2.4pg/ml, p=0.007). Conclusions: Positive influences of exercise training in children with asthma may be mediated by decrease in ET-1 levels. © 2010 SEICAP. Published by Elsevier España, S.L. All rights reserved. ∗ Corresponding author. E-mail address: ece.onur@bayar.edu.tr (O. Gunay). Introduction Children and adults with asthma may avoid exercise because of their respiratory symptoms and they may have reduced exercise tolerance due to the increased sensation of dyspnoea. 9,10,20 Exercise programmes in asthma have been 0301-0546/$ – see front matter © 2010 SEICAP. Published by Elsevier España, S.L. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.aller.2010.10.006