Recent publications reflect the anti-doping authorities’ concern about the use of altitude simulator systems as violating
the spirit of sport criterion (Levine
2006; Loland and Murray
2007; Spriggs
2005). The aim of our study was to determine whether intermittent hypoxic treatments could modify the hemoglobin, hematocrit,
reticulocytes, and erythropoietic stimulation index (OFF-Hr Score) values after administration of rHuEPO-alpha. Although these
hematological parameters are of secondary nature some international sport federations currently exclude athletes who show
aberrant values of these parameters from competition. Ten young male Wistar rats were treated, three times a week for 2 weeks,
with 500 IU of rHuEPO-alpha. After the treatment, the animals were randomly divided into two groups: normoxic and hypoxic.
The normoxic group was maintained at 21% O
2 24 h a day for 23 days. The hypoxic group was maintained 12 h at 21% O
2 and 12 h at 12% O
2 (~4,000 m) the same time period. After the rHuEPO-alpha treatment, the hypoxic group of animals had a faster recovery rate
in the reticulocyte count, elevated concentrations of hemoglobin and hematocrit and a significant increase in the endogenous
EPO levels when compared with the normoxic group of animals. These changes led to significant modifications in the OFF-Hr
Score between the hypoxic and normoxic animals. Intermittent hypoxic treatments after rHuEPO administration can significantly
modify the main hematological parameters tested by the anti-doping authorities. Our results in an animal model suggest checking
the described phenomena in humans in order to reach major conclusions.
Keywords Erythropoiesis - Doping - Hemoglobin - Hematocrit - Reticulocytes