Effects of winter exercise and the healing climate of caves on people with allergies and asthma

INTERVENTION: The intervention groups spent a 10‐day winter holiday in the Holiday region National Park Hohe Tauern (Austria). The exercise group participated in a whole‐day winter sports program and the speleotherapy group spent every day 1.5h in a mine and participated in half‐day winter sports program. The control group did not received any intervention. CONDITION: Allergy, asthma, respiratory allergies, house dust mite allergy ; Respiratory PRIMARY OUTCOME: ; Measured at baseline (day 0), day 10 and day 60:; 1. Allergic airway inflammation assessed using exhaled nitric oxide; 2. Health related quality of life assessed using RhinAsthma Quality of Life Scale; SECONDARY OUTCOME: ; Measured at baseline (day 0), day 10 and day 60:; 1. Inflammation/allergic inflammation assessed using differential blood count; 2. Cardiorespiratory fitness assessed using the 6‐Minute Walk Test; 3. Lung function assessed using spirometry; 4. Allergic inflammation in the upper airways assessed using eosinophilic cell count from nasal lavage; 5. Cleaning rate of the upper airways assessed using mucociliary clearance (saccharin test); 6. Allergic symptoms and health status assessed using the Visual Analogue Scale; 7. Chronic stress level assessed using the Trierer Inventory for chronic stress (TICS); 8. General health/health‐related quality of life assessed using SF‐36; 9. Asthma control status assessed using Asthma Control Test; 10. Health related quality of life for asthma assessed using Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire; 11. Disease‐specific health related quality of life assessed using Sinonasale Outcome Test; INCLUSION CRITERIA: 1. Age between 18‐55 years 2. House dust mite sensitization (RAST > 2; positive PRICK‐Test or total IgE > 0.7 kU/l) 3. Controlled allergic rhinitis and/or allergic asthma 4. Physical ability, including moderate skiing skills, to meet the demands of the exercise program