A third generation approach to detect erythropoietin abuse in athletes.

Background And Objectives: Information derived from blood analyses can assist in the detection and/or deterrence of blood doping in sport. We investigated whether comparing an athlete's hematologic values against his or her own historical baseline rather than population-derived thresholds enhanced the ability to detect blood doping.

Design And Methods: We developed an approach whereby an athlete's true baseline value could be estimated with just one prior blood test.

Longitudinal variation of hemoglobin and reticulocytes in elite rowers.

Longitudinal monitoring of athlete's hematologic parameters holds considerable promise as a strategy to detect and thereby deter illicit blood doping. This study documents temporal changes of hemoglobin concentration (Hb) and reticulocyte counts in elite rowers. The 'within subject' variation in rowers was comparable to that of athletes from other sports.

Effect of pre-competition and altitude training on blood models used to detect erythropoietin abuse by athletes.

This study reports blood model scores used for detection of recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEPO) abuse by athletes. Elite female rowers were monitored prior to their World Championships, including a period spent training at moderate altitude. In contrast to previous results, no substantial increase in model scores was found following altitude exposure.

Standardization of reticulocyte values in an antidoping context.

The lack of standardization of reticulocyte results hinders the ability of sports authorities to recognize the telltale fluctuations over time that are typical for athletes using illegal blood doping to improve their performance. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to devise a tenable approach for antidoping authorities to quantify, instrument bias. We evaluated reticulocyte data derived during a 42-week period from 210 hospital patient blood samples measured in duplicate simultaneously on up to 11 hematology analyzers located in a single laboratory.

Effect of altitude on second-generation blood tests to detect erythropoietin abuse by athletes.

Background And Objectives: ON- and OFF-model scores derived from blood parameters sensitive to erythropoiesis have been shown to be a useful tool to identify athletes who are currently injecting erythropoietin to enhance performance or those who have recently stopped doing so. We investigated changes in blood parameters and model scores during and after exposure to terrestrial and simulated altitudes.

Design And Methods: We retrospectively evaluated changes in hematologic data collected from 19 elite cyclists who lived and trained 2690 m above sea level for 26-31 days, from six elite Kenyan runners who lived 2100 m above sea level but descended to compete at sea level competitions, and from 39 well-trained subjects who resided at sea level but slept at a simulated altitude of 2650-3000 m for 20-23 days of either consecutive or intermittent nightly exposure.

The effect of common hematologic abnormalities on the ability of blood models to detect erythropoietin abuse by athletes.

Background And Objectives: Algorithms that combine scores from multiple blood parameters are demonstrably effective in highlighting recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEPO) administration, and have been used to deter rHuEPO use by athletes. These models are sensitive to atypical levels of blood parameters encountered during altered states of red cell production. Because hematologic abnormalities can also result in unusual blood profiles, the aim of this study was to document the incidence and magnitude of such abnormalities in an elite athlete population.

Second-generation blood tests to detect erythropoietin abuse by athletes.

Background And Objectives: We previously developed blood tests that were introduced at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games to identify athletes injecting recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEPO). The aim of this study was to re-analyse our existing database to develop models with heightened sensitivity, using wherever possible blood parameters measurable with appropriate standards of analytical performance.

Design And Methods: The principal database for this study was derived from a double-blind trial in which 57 recreational athletes were administered either rHuEPO or placebo.

Development of reference ranges in elite athletes for markers of altered erythropoiesis.

Background And Objectives: Our previous research developed two statistical models that are useful indicators of current (ON-model) or recently discontinued (OFF-model) recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEPO) use by athletes. The component variables of the ON-model are hematocrit (Hct), reticulocyte hematocrit (RetHct), serum erythropoietin (EPO), percent macrocytes (%Macro), and soluble transferrin receptor (sTfr), whilst the OFF-model uses only the first three variables. Genetics and training modalities of elite athletes may conceivably produce unusual values for blood parameters related to erythropoiesis.

Effects of prolonged low doses of recombinant human erythropoietin during submaximal and maximal exercise.

The aim of this study was to characterise the effect of prolonged low doses of recombinant erythropoietin (r-HuEPO) on the responses to submaximal and maximal exercise. Volunteer recreational athletes ( n=21) were divided into three groups: r-HuEPO+intravenous iron (EPO+IV, n=7), r-HuEPO+oral iron (EPO+OR, n=9) and placebo ( n=5). During the 12 week study, r-HuEPO or saline injections were given three times a week for the first 8 weeks and for the final 4 weeks the subjects were monitored but no injections were administered.