Grant: Master's Award: Canada Graduate Scholarships

Exercise induced asthma (EIA) is defined as a transient increase in airway resistance after exercise and occurs in approximately 90% of adults with asthma. EIA is triggered during exercise due to an increase in ventilation. This increase in ventilation leads to an increase in evaporative water loss in the airways, which induces bronchoconstriction and causes difficulty breathing. To date, it remains unclear whether there is a threshold below which exercise would not elicit bronchoconstriction. Further, it is not clear what the role of interval based exercise would be on this response. Therefore, the purpose of this research is to examine the ventilatory response of adults with confirmed EIA to cycling exercise that is either continuous or intermittent in nature and that is either moderate or high intensity. Subjects will attend multiple laboratory sessions during which anthropometric and lung function measures will be taken. Subjects will then complete, in a random sequence, various submaximal exercise tests using a variety of exercise protocols on a cycle ergometer. Exercise protocols will include a continuousprotocol, a moderate intensity interval protocol, and a high intensity interval protocol. Lung function, breathlessness, and perceived exertion will bemonitored throughout the exercise and measures will be taken immediately following the exercise test. Significance: This study will provide novel physiological insight into the individual effect of ventilation on lung function during exercise. A greater understanding of the individual influence of ventilation on EIA is important for improving exercise guidelines for this population and will allow for education of asthmaeducators working closely with this population.