O-42 Integrating muscle damage, immune function and electrolyte balance biomarkers for early detection of training stress in collegiate athletes during pre-season in Jamaica
Author(s):
F Miller, K Vaz, S Chin, D Lowe, P Jackson-Garrick, S McFarlane, D McGrowder, L Dilworth
Type Of Study:
- Quantitative
- Observational Study
Year of Presentation:
2026
Objective: This study investigated the distributional characteristics, interrelationships, and multi-system predictors
of specific biomarkers such as creatine kinase, lactate dehydrogenase, white blood cell count, sodium, creatinine, urea,
bicarbonate, chloride, magnesium, potassium, neutrophil
and lymphocytes for early detection of training stress.
Methods: A correlational study was conducted among 59 collegiate athletes (31 males, 28 females; 20.6 ± 1.85 years) representing seven sports. Blood samples were analyzed during pre-season using the Cell-Dyne Ruby, cobas Pro analyzers and XN-1000 haematology analyzer. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS v25, with significance set at p<0.05.
Results: Creatine kinase (CK) was elevated in most athletes (males 96.8%, females 71.4%), with parallel elevations in lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) (males 87.1%, females 60.7%), indicating substantial pre-season muscle stress. CK demonstrated a robust positive association with LDH (ρ=0.521), supporting their coupled response as core muscle damage indicators within a training stress monitoring framework. CK was further positively correlated with white blood cell count (ρ=0.311), sodium (ρ=0.384), and creatinine (ρ=0.583), and inversely correlated with lymphocyte percentage (ρ=−0.261), reflecting integrated muscular, immune, and metabolic responses. Regression analysis identified LDH (positive), lymphocyte percentage (negative), magnesium (positive), potassium (negative), and creatinine (positive) as independent predictors of CK, reinforcing the value of a multi-biomarker biological passport approach for early detection of training-induced physiological stress.
Conclusion: Pre-season training is associated with elevated muscle damage markers in collegiate athletes, supporting the use of routine, multi-system biomarkers for early detection and monitoring of training stress. This approach enables timely training adjustments and promotes safer athlete health management.