Resumen de Immune Response Related With Skin Thermal Pattern in Judokas: A New Application for Infrared Thermography?

Ciro José Brito, Danilo Gomes Moreira, Jose J. Ferreira, Alfonso López Díaz de Durana, Bianca Miarka, Joao Carlos Bouzas Marins, Manuel Sillero Quintana

• This study investigated the association between body skin temperature (BST) and immune response after judo training, and compared the immune responses considering 2 post-training skin thermal pattern ("spots"-SPT and "localized"-LOC). For this, we evaluated 32 (25-male) black-belt judokas from the Spanish Junior National Team (18.0 +/- 3.5 years, 72.4 +/- 18.4 kg, and 17.1 +/- 7.5% body fat). White blood cell and BST measurements were performed at pre-training, immediately, 1, and 24-hour post-training. Body skin temperature ([degrees] C) was estimated by skin temperature from 4 regions of interest (chest, upper arm, thigh, and calf). The main results indicated that 13 judokas were classified as SPT and 19 as LOC. In comparison with LOC, SPT had a significantly lower BST post-training (SPT = 33.0 +/- 0.4 vs. LOC = 33.6 +/- 0.8[degrees] C; p = 0.016), lower blood concentration of leukocytes (SPT = 7.9 +/- 1.9 vs. LOC = 8.9 +/- 1.9 cells x 103 per mm3; p <= 0.001), and neutrophils (SPT = 5.5 +/- 1.7 vs. LOC = 6.1 +/- 2.2 cells x 103 per mm3; p <= 0.001). In conclusion, the BST and immune response after judo training seem to be not associated. However, when the skin thermal pattern is considered, the SPT skin thermal pattern presented a lower post-training BST, blood leukocytes, and neutrophils in comparison with the LOC group. These results show a possible relationship between skin thermal pattern and immune responses for the first time; however, further studies are needed to confirm the evidence presented here.