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Biomedical subjects

W L Risser

Publications and source records attributed to W L Risser.

30 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1988

Iron deficiency in female athletes: its prevalence and impact on performance.

The prevalence of iron deficiency and its impact on performance have not been adequately investigated in non-endurance athletes. This study evaluated these factors in 100 female intercollegiate athletes in various sports, and in 66 non-athletes. All subjects had determinations of hemoglobin, ferritin, and transferrin saturation. Athletes reported on diet, menses, and symptoms. Athletes and coaches described mood and performance. Iron-deficient athletes were treated with iron; others received placebo. The same data were collected at season's end. Initially 31/100 (31%) athletes had iron deficiency (ferritin less than 12 ng.ml-1; transferrin saturation less than 16%, or both) compared to 30/66 (45.5%) controls (not statistically significant). Compared to normal athletes, iron-deficient athletes did not have more symptoms of iron deficiency or differences in mood state, but they considered their performance to be worse (P less than 0.05). Their total iron intakes were similar, as were menstrual blood losses. At re-evaluation, 7/45 (15.6%) initially normal athletes were iron-deficient; 14/22 (63.6%) initially iron-deficient athletes were normal. Athletes receiving an iron supplement and their coaches did not report a greater improvement in performance or mood than athletes receiving a placebo. Female college athletes frequently had iron deficiency that could be successfully treated during the season, while some untreated normal athletes became iron-deficient. Iron deficiency and its treatment had no significant impact on symptoms or mood, but affected subjective assessment of performance.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1987

Diagnosing psychiatric disorders in adolescent females with abdominal pain.

Psychiatric diseases, recently renamed psychiatric disorders by the American Psychiatric Association, are commonly associated with abdominal pain in adolescents but may be difficult to diagnose. In a prospective study, we evaluated four psychiatric scales, including the Childhood Depression Inventory (CDI) and the Speilberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) as aids in the diagnosis of psychiatric disorders in 40 adolescent females with abdominal pain. Final diagnosis of organic-dysfunctional disease was made in 32 patients, and a psychiatric disorder was found in eight. Only the CDI (p = 0.001) and the State (p = 0.006) and Trait (p = 0.022) scales of the STAI had significantly different mean values between subjects with organic-dysfunctional disease and a psychiatric disorder. Almost all subjects with a psychiatric disorder had abnormally high scores, whereas the subjects with organic-dysfunctional disease did not. We conclude that three brief, self-administered psychiatric scales may be useful in differentiating between organic-dysfunctional disease and a psychiatric disorder in adolescent patients with abdominal pain.

Abdomen↗
PubMed1987

Noncomparative, open label, multicenter trial of cefixime for treatment of bacterial pharyngitis, cystitis and pneumonia in pediatric patients.

Cefixime, a new third generation oral cephalosporin antibiotic, was evaluated for safety and efficacy in the treatment of 206 children with acute bacterial pharyngitis, cystitis or pneumonia. Each patient had a throat, urine or sputum culture before therapy and was treated with a 10- to 14-day course of cefixime, 8 mg/kg once daily. Bacterial pathogens were isolated in 167 of 206 (81.1%). Streptococcus pyogenes (73.7% of isolates) and Escherichia coli (9.6%) were the most common Gram-positive and Gram-negative organisms, respectively. All patients were evaluable for safety, and 109 (52.9%) with pharyngitis (96) or cystitis (13) were evaluable for efficacy. Clinical failure occurred in 2 of 109 (1.8%) patients, both with pharyngitis; bacteriologic failure occurred in 1 patient with pharyngitis and 1 with cystitis. Five patients with pneumonia caused by possible pathogens also improved while taking cefixime. Drug-related adverse side effects occurred in 50 of 206 patients (24.3%); these were generally mild and led to discontinuing the antibiotic in only 4 patients (1.9%). The most common were diarrhea or loose stools (33 of 206, or 16%). Results of this study suggest that cefixime given once daily to children is safe and effective in the treatment of streptococcal pharyngitis and bacterial cystitis.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1987

Nutritional intake from food sources of high school football athletes.

Male high school football athletes served as subjects (no. = 134; age = 15.0 +/- 1.2 years, range = 12 to 18 years; weight = 67.7 +/- 13.9 kg) (mean +/- standard deviation) in a dietary survey project to characterize nutritional intake from food sources. Dietary intake data were collected using the recall method for 1 weekday during the summer when athletes participated in unsupervised, informal conditioning. Subjects were grouped by age as junior high (JR-HI: 12 to 14 years) or senior high (SR-HI: 15 to 18 years) students. Absolute mean energy and nutrient intakes, except for vitamin A, were statistically greater for SR-HI relative to JR-HI (p less than .02). These findings are consistent with age-related growth on nutritional intake. Mean nutritional intakes from food sources for SR-HI met or exceeded the RDAs. For JR-HI, mean intakes met or exceeded the RDAs except for energy (94% RDA) and zinc (87% RDA). Mean intakes exceeded those of a representative sample of same-age boys in the larger American population.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1985

A cost-benefit analysis of preparticipation sports examinations of adolescent athletes.

A cost-benefit analysis of preparticipation sports exams of 763 adolescents was based on data from parallel programs conducted on affluent white and indigent black populations. After initial exams, 16 athletes (2.1%) were referred for further evaluation before participation was allowed; 15 of 16 reported their problems on the history form. Two were disqualified and one was treated. The cost of identifying the three athletes with significant problems was $4,537 per athlete. An additional 163 athletes (21.6%) had significant medical problems unrelated to safe sports participation and 89% of students sought routine health care only to obtain permission to play sports. Preparticipation sports exams have an unfavorable cost-benefit ratio even if costs are carefully controlled. The ratio might be improved if significant health problems not relevant to safe sports participation are sought or if exams are limited to athletes with positive responses on a preliminary history form.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1985

Syncope in adolescents.

Syncope is common in adolescents. It is usually attributable to simple faint, but the differential diagnosis includes other, less common disorders, such as migraine, epilepsy, hyperventilation, hysteria and cardiac dysrhythmia or outflow obstruction. The patient's feelings immediately before and after the syncopal episode will help the physician determine the cause. An observer's description of the event may also be helpful. Laboratory evaluation is seldom necessary.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1984

Frequency of varicocele in black adolescents.

To determine the incidence of varicocele among blacks, 423 black adolescent males were examined. Fifty-eight (13.7%) had varicocele compared to a 14-15% incidence among white teenage males. The close to 10% of adolescents with a varicocele who develop subnormal fertility cannot be predicted, nor has it been shown that early varicocelectomy prevents the problem. There is a need for prospective evaluation of early varicocelectomy in adolescent males to determine if subnormal fertility can be avoided.

Adolescent↗