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CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 · Int J Sports Med 2023; 44(04): 298-308
DOI: 10.1055/a-1976-6069
Clinical Sciences

Cellular Integrative Immune Markers in Elite Athletes

Jonas Zacher   ‡
1   Department of Preventative and Rehabilitative Sports and Performance Medicine, Institute of Cardiovascular Research and Sports Medicine, German Sport University Cologne, Cologne, Germany
,
Fabian Wesemann    ‡
1   Department of Preventative and Rehabilitative Sports and Performance Medicine, Institute of Cardiovascular Research and Sports Medicine, German Sport University Cologne, Cologne, Germany
,
Niklas Joisten
2   Division of Performance and Health (Sports Medicine), Department of Sport and Sport Science, TU Dortmund University, Dortmund, Germany
,
David Walzik 
2   Division of Performance and Health (Sports Medicine), Department of Sport and Sport Science, TU Dortmund University, Dortmund, Germany
,
Wilhelm Bloch
3   Department of Molecular and Cellular Sports Medicine, Institute of Cardiovascular Research and Sports Medicine, German Sport University Cologne, Cologne, Germany
,
Georg Predel
1   Department of Preventative and Rehabilitative Sports and Performance Medicine, Institute of Cardiovascular Research and Sports Medicine, German Sport University Cologne, Cologne, Germany
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Abstract

The integrative immune markers neutrophil-lymphocyte-ratio (NLR), platelet-lymphocyte-ratio (PLR) and systemic immune inflammation index (SII) are established markers in clinical patient care. Adoption of these markers in elite athletics might prove beneficial for monitoring training and health. Blood samples of 195 healthy national Olympic squad athletes were collected before a graded bicycle-ergometric exercise test until complete exhaustion. Measurements included white blood cells, lymphocytes and platelets, allowing for the calculation of the integrative immune markers. Correlations between athlete characteristics (sex, age, sporting discipline, training experience, training volume) and integrative immune marker-values were assessed. In a subgroup analysis a second blood sample was collected from 25 athletes at 1 minute after exercise test to assess its effect on the immune marker levels.

An inverse correlation between peak power output and SII-level (Pearson correlation coefficient=−.270, p<.001) and NLR-level (Pearson correlation coefficient=−.249, p<.001) was found. Athletes with higher aerobic fitness had significantly lower values of SII and PLR compared to athletes with lower aerobic fitness. An elevated SII (p=.003) and a reduced PLR (p=.001) was documented as acute response to the exercise test. The integrative immune markers might be a promising tool for monitoring training and health in elite athletes.

Key words

SII - NLR - PLR - olympic athletes - integrative immune markers - immune system

‡ Authors contributed equally as first authors




Publication History

Received: 11 March 2022

Accepted: 07 November 2022

Accepted Manuscript online:
10 November 2022

Article published online:
23 December 2022

© 2022. The Author(s). This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonDerivative-NonCommercial-License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit. Contents may not be used for commercial purposes, or adapted, remixed, transformed or built upon. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).

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