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PubMed1992

Drowning and near drowning in children in the United Kingdom: lessons for prevention.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the pattern of drowning and near drowning of children in Britain and identify means of prevention. DESIGN: Study of drowned and nearly drowned children under 15 years old. SETTING: United Kingdom, 1988 and 1989. SUBJECTS: Children under 15 years either drowning or admitted to hospital after a submersion incident. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Number of nearly drowned children, obtained from consultant paediatricians returning monthly notification cards through the British Paediatric Surveillance Unit. Number of drowned children notified by the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys and other national epidemiological offices; information from coroners. RESULTS: 306 children had confirmed submersion incidents: 149 died and 157 survived after near drowning. The annual incidence in England and Wales was 1.5/100,000, and mortality 0.7/100,000. Mortality was lowest in public pools 6% (2/32) and highest in rivers, canals, and lakes (78%, 56/73). Most of the children (263, 83%) were unsupervised at the time of the accident. 208 (68%) children were under 5 years old. CONCLUSIONS: Drowning and near drowning of children are problems in the British Isles. Appropriate supervision and safety barriers seem important for preventing such accidents. Improving information on dangers of drowning given to parents through the child surveillance programmes, encouraging fencing or draining of garden ponds and domestic swimming pools, and increasing supervision of swimming in lakes, rivers, and beaches should reduce the number of accidents.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1995

[Swimming-induced asthma].

Swimming is said to have low asthmogeneity especially when compared with other physical activities. Four young athletes who participated in heavy swimming exercise are reported as having symptoms of exercise-induced asthma (EIA). Three of them started to develop the symptoms after several years of training and had no former history of asthma. In the fourth, the asthma was diagnosed in childhood but the EIA-symptoms here exacerbated by swimming. All four experienced more symptoms when the air in the swimming pool was warm, or when there was a strong smell of chlorine. Two of the athletes reported having no symptoms when they swam in outdoor pools and had only minor symptoms, or none at all, when they did other formes of physical exercise, including running. In all four their swimming performance was hampered by their respiratory symptoms. Two of the swimmers improved when they inhaled steroids and adrenerg-beta 2 agonists, and continued their swimming carrier. The cases suggest that an irritant may provoke asthma symptoms in susceptible swimmers. Volatile compounds from chlorination of the pools are suspected as possible irritant agents.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Dopamine depletion, stimulation or blockade in the rat disrupts spatial navigation and locomotion dependent upon beacon or distal cues.

Rats depleted of dopamine by intraventricular or nigrostriatal bundle 6-hydroxydopamine injection were compared with normal rats on acquisition and retention of place and cue navigation in the Morris swimming pool test and on a battery of sensorimotor tests. Rats with extensive bilateral dopamine depletions were able to swim vigorously, but were unable to acquire either the place or cue task. Rats with unilateral lesions, although impaired in the rate of acquisition were eventually able to learn both tasks to close to normal levels. Animals pretrained on the tasks prior to the lesions displayed retention deficits that were related to the extent of dopamine depletion: after extensive depletions, performance on both tasks deteriorated until successful navigation was abolished, whereas incomplete depletions impaired but did not abolish performance on either task. In separate groups of pretrained animals, both dopamine antagonists (haloperidol, alpha-flupenthixol) and agonists (apomorphine, metamphetamine) blocked performance on both place and cue tasks, although there were individual differences in sensitivity of the rats. Performance on the place task was more sensitive to disruption than the cue task both by the lesions and by haloperidol, alpha-flupenthixol or apormorphine but not by metamphetamine. On the sensorimotor tests dopamine-depleted rats were impaired at visual but not contact placing, they oriented weakly to snout touches and surfaces but not to distal stimuli, and they were akinetic on a number of tests of motor function but when wet they displayed as many grooming movements and groomed as long as did normal rats. The results suggest that dopamine depletion may impair spatial navigation by a disruption of their ability to use distal cues for guidance.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Impact of skin cancer prevention on outdoor aquatics staff: the Pool Cool program in Hawaii and Massachusetts.

BACKGROUND: Aquatic staff, including lifeguards, are exposed to intense sunlight for many hours each day and are likely to be at a relatively high risk for developing skin cancer. However, no interventions have been specifically directed to staff at outdoor swimming pool sites. METHODS: We conducted a randomized controlled trial among aquatic staff at 28 outdoor pool sites in Hawaii and Massachusetts. Intervention pools received sun protection education and control pools received education on child injury prevention. Staff in both arms received orientation sessions and led instruction during swim lessons. Analysis of covariance was used to compare and test for changes in outcome variables (sun protection habits and sunburning rates of aquatic staff) and pool protection policies. Surveys were completed at the beginning and end of the summer. RESULTS: Surveys were completed by 220 aquatics staff at baseline; 194 surveys were completed at posttest. Compared with staff at control pools, sun protection policies (P < 0.04) and sunburning rates (P < 0.05) improved at sun protection pools from baseline to posttest. However, the difference in the mean score of all sun protection habits between the two study groups was nonsignificant. CONCLUSION: The Pool Cool sun protection intervention had significant effects on lifeguards' sunburn rates and pool sun safety policies but did not improve reported sun protection behaviors. More intensive strategies may be needed to influence aquatics workers who have already begun to adopt skin cancer prevention practices.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

The effect of long-term swimming program on body composition, aerobic capacity and blood lipids in 14-19-year aged healthy girls and girls with type 1 diabetes mellitus.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of long-term swimming program on body composition, aerobic capacity, and blood lipid/cholesterol level. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Nineteen girls aged 14-19 years with duration of diabetes of 8.1+/-0.9 years and 28 healthy girls aged 14-19 years participated in the study. Before and after 14-week swimming program, weight, height, and four skinfold thickness were measured, body mass index (kg/m(2)) and body fat mass (%) were calculated, blood lipid levels (total cholesterol, high-density/low-density lipoprotein, and triglyceride) were estimated. Aerobic capacity was assessed by Ruffie test. Training sessions (each lasted for 45 min) were held twice per week for 14 weeks. A total of 28 trainings were performed in the swimming pool. Workload intensity was corrected by pulse measurement before and after every session in the water. RESULTS: After 14-week swimming program, body mass index did not change, but body fat mass decreased significantly in healthy (27.2+/-1.0 vs. 25.5+/-0.8%, p<0.001) and diabetics (34.8+/-1.2 vs. 32.1+/-1.2%, p<0.001) subjects. Both groups improved their aerobic capacity (p<0.01 in healthy and p<0.05 in diabetics). No significant changes in blood lipid profile were found in all subjects, only high-density lipoprotein concentration significantly increased in healthy girls (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: Long-term swimming program improved aerobic capacity, reduced body fat mass in all participants, and reduced high-density lipoprotein levels only in healthy subjects.

Adipose Tissue↗
PubMed1993

Bacterial load of cockroaches in relation to urban environment.

Sanitation is an important problem in relation to the control of pests in urban environments. This investigation analysed the potential risk related to the presence of cockroaches and their capacity for disseminating bacteria in six different types of buildings: hospital nursing area and out-patient area, swimming-pool pool-side and toilet area, low-income flats and food-handling places. Fifty-six species of bacteria were identified from 157 samples, 14 of these have previously been reported as potentially pathogenic for man and vertebrates. Similarities were found between samples collected in (a) the hospital out-patient area and food-handling establishments and (b) the hospital nursing area and flats. Pool-sides possessed a poorer bacterial flora. There was a greater bacterial specific diversity in food-handling establishments, flats and swimming-bath toilet area. Enterobacter cloacae. Klebsiella pneumoniae and Klebsiella oxytoca were dominant species in flats and the hospital nursing area. Therefore, cockroaches can play a role in disseminating bacteria, which they can carry passively on their cuticle.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

Giardiasis surveillance--United States, 1992-1997.

PROBLEM/CONDITION: Giardia intestinalis, the organism that causes the gastrointestinal illness giardiasis, is the most commonly diagnosed intestinal parasite in public health laboratories in the United States. In 1992, the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists assigned giardiasis an event code that enabled states to begin voluntarily reporting surveillance data on giardiasis to CDC. REPORTING PERIOD: This report includes data that were reported from January 1992 through December 1997. DESCRIPTION OF THE SYSTEM: The National Giardiasis Surveillance System includes data about reported cases of giardiasis from participating states. Because most states were already collecting data on occurrence of giardiasis, the assignment of an event code to giardiasis has allowed voluntary reporting of these data to CDC via the National Electronic Telecommunications System for Surveillance. RESULTS: Since 1992, the number of states reporting cases of giardiasis to CDC has risen from 23 to 43. The annual number of giardiasis cases reported has ranged from 12,793 in 1992 to 27,778 in 1996. In 1997, cases per 100,000 state population ranged from 0.9 to 42.3, with 10 states reporting >20.0 cases per 100,000 population and a national average of 9.5 cases per 100,000 population. In 1997, New York State, including New York City, reported the highest number of cases (3,673, or 20.3 cases per 100,000 population), accounting for 14.5% of cases nationally; however, Vermont reported the highest incidence rate in 1997 (42.3 cases per 100,000 population). Both states have active surveillance systems in place for giardiasis. Cases have an approximately equal sex distribution. Nationally, rates were the highest among children aged 0-5 years, followed closely by persons aged 31-40 years. In these two age groups, most cases were reported during late summer and early fall--an indication that transmission occurred during the summer. INTERPRETATION: This report documents the first nationwide look at epidemiologic parameters and disease burden estimates for giardiasis in the United States. Transmission occurs in all major geographic areas of the country. The seasonal peak in age-specific case reports coincides with the summer recreational water season and might reflect the heavy use by young children of communal swimming venues (e.g., lakes, rivers, swimming pools, and water parks)--a finding consistent with Giardia's low infectious dose, the high prevalence of diaper-aged children in swimming venues, the extended periods of cyst shedding that can occur, and Giardia's environmental resistance. Estimates based on state surveillance data indicate that as many as 2.5 million cases of giardiasis occur annually in the United States. PUBLIC HEALTH ACTION: Giardiasis surveillance provides data to educate public health practitioners and health-care providers about the scope and magnitude of giardiasis in the United States. These data can be used to establish research priorities and to plan future prevention efforts.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2002

Heart rate variation after breath hold diving with different underwater swimming velocities.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to demonstrate the kinetics of heart rate and blood lactate level obtained after repeated short breath holds with muscular effort in a swimming pool. METHODS EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: each subject had to perform a series of breath hold diving at rest and three series for different underwater swimming velocities. A series corresponded to six dives of a 30 sec duration separated by a recovery period of 30 sec. Heart rates and blood lactate levels were measured at rest and at the end of each series of breath holds. PARTICIPANTS: the population was composed of 10 male subjects divided into one trained group (5 experts) and one group of 5 beginners. RESULTS: Results indicated a higher bradycardia for the expert group at static breath hold (54.25 vs 65.5 beats x min-1). At the end of a series of breath holds, tachycardia was higher for beginners at different underwater swimming velocities. These values were less significant than the heart rate measured in laboratory despite trials that were abandoned due to high blood lactate levels above 3.5 mmol x l-1. In order to avoid the breath hold breaking point, the maximum heart rate had to correspond to the heart rate of the ventilatory threshold measured in the laboratory, minus the variations of bradycardia measured at rest. CONCLUSIONS: For the training coach, bradycardia was determined by water immersion during a static breath hold. This permitted an evaluation of the level of diver training. A maximal heart rate was attempted to avoid the breath hold breaking point. The results of this study may be useful in creating an effective diver training program.

Adaptation, Physiological↗
PubMed1976

An ECG telemetry system for physiological studies on swimmers.

A low frequency telemetry system is described which has been designed to allow high quality ECG measurements to be made on active swimmers. The transmitting antenna is a small loop worn by the swimmer whilst the receiver is fed from a single wire loop around the swimming pool. Both ECG electrodes and the transmitter case are made in a waterproof form which allows the swimmer complete freedom of action to dive and swim normally. The transmitter can be constructed from normal miniature components although the present version has been assembled using thick film techniques which combine high reliability with a reduction in overall volume.

Coronary Care Units↗
PubMed1990

Swimmer's migraine.

Three cases of sudden, severe headache occurring during swimming are described. A 51-year-old female had been engaging in a swimming exercise for about 20 minutes when she suddenly experienced a pulsating headache in the parietotemporal region, accompanied by nausea. A few days later, she experienced a similar episode, again during swimming practice. A 45-year-old male developed a pulsating headache with nausea immediately after diving into a swimming pool, and had a similar attack during diving practice 1 week later. A 32-year-old male developed a pulsating headache accompanied by nausea while swimming in the sea. In all three cases, blood pressure, pulse rate, neurological findings, cervical spinal x-rays, brain CT scans, and hematological findings were normal and the outcome was good. Although these patients' headaches were diagnosed as benign exertional headache, pathophysiologically they appeared to resemble the headache associated with sexual activity.

Adult↗
PubMed2002

Postnatal cocaine exposure: effects on behavior of rats in forced swim test.

Exposure to cocaine in early periods of postnatal life has adverse effects on behavior, namely, it induces the display of anxiety and fear-like behaviors that are associated with stress and depression. This study examined the effects of early developmental cocaine exposure in several categories of behavior observed in forced swim test. Male and female Wistar rats were given 15 mg/kg of cocaine hydrochloride/body weight/day, subcutaneously, in two daily doses, from postnatal day (PND) 1 to PND27. Controls were saline injected in the same protocol. In PND26-PND27, rats were placed in a swimming pool during 5 min in two sessions. The categories of behavior studied in this work included horizontal and vertical rotation, vibrissae clean, head clean, fast and slow swim, struggling, floating, sliding, diving, head-diving, and wagging head. Results showed differences in the frequencies of several behavioral categories that allowed the discrimination of the behaviors that may constitute "behavioral despair" indicators, as well as which behaviors are most affected by cocaine exposure. Cocaine groups were less active and more immobile than controls. These results suggest that postnatal exposure to cocaine can produce depression-like effects and affect the ability of these animals to cope with stress situations.

Aging↗
PubMed1982

[Sport injuries in different types of sports].

We analyzed the accidents in many different forms of sport during the period from 1964 to 1980. In soccer, 12% of all injuries were located on the head of the player, 15% on the chest or back, 18% on the arms, and 53% on the legs. In cycling, 20% of all accidents affected the head of the cyclist. 47% of the injured handball players damaged their arms. It is interesting to note that from all the so-called swimming accidents only 45% happened in the water and 55% outside the swimming-pool. The frequency of ski accidents declined, especially in children.

Athletic Injuries↗
PubMed1995

Similarities vs. differences in place learning and circadian activity in rats after fimbria-fornix section or ibotenate removal of hippocampal cells.

Damage to either the fimbria-fornix or to the hippocampus can produce a deficit in spatial behavior and change in locomotor activity but the extent to which the two kinds of damage are comparable is not known. Here we contrasted the effects of cathodal sections of the fimbria-fornix with ibotenic acid lesions of the cells of the hippocampus (Ammon's horn and the dentate gyrus) on place learning in a swimming pool and on circadian activity. Rats in both ablation groups were impaired relative to control rats in learning a single place response but they did acquire the response as measured by swim latencies, errors, and by enhanced searching on probe trials. They were also more active than the control group on the test of activity. Nevertheless, the fimbria-fornix group was initially more impaired on learning and was more active than the hippocampal group. Analysis of the strategies used in learning indicated that the lesion groups were very similar to each other but different from the control group especially in that at asymptotic performance, rats in both lesion groups made rather tight loops as they swam toward the platform. This strategy likely contributed to the greater proportion of time they spent swimming in the correct quadrant on the subsequent probe trial. These findings confirm that rats with fimbria-fornix or hippocampal damage display impairments in place learning and are hyperactive but also show that there are lesion differences. The results are discussed with respect to the relative effectiveness of the lesions and the possibility that fibers in the fimbria-fornix may mediate some functions that are not attributable to the hippocampus.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

Applying physiological principles and assessment techniques to swimming the English Channel. A case study.

BACKGROUND: This study presents the use of physiological principles and assessment techniques in addressing four objectives that can enhance a swimmer's likelihood of successfully swimming the English Channel. The four objective were: (1) to prescribe training intensities and determine ideal swimming pace; (2) to determine the amount of insulation needed, relative to heat produced, to diminish the likelihood of the swimmer suffering from hypothermia; (3) to calculate the caloric expenditure for the swim and the necessary glucose replacement required to prevent glycogen depletion; and (4) to determine the rate of acclimatization to cold water (15.56 C/60 F). METHODS: The subject participated in several pool swimming data collection sessions including a tethered swim incremental protocol to determine peak oxygen consumption and onset of lactate accumulation and several steady state swims to determine ideal swimming pace at 4.0 mM/L of lactate. Additionally, these swims provided information on oxygen consumption, which in combination with ultrasound assessment of subcutaneous fat was used to assess heat production and insulation capabilities. Finally, the subject participated in 18 cold water immersions to document acclimatization rate. RESULTS: The data demonstrated the high fitness level of this subject and indicated that at a stroke rate of 63 stokes/min, HR was 130 heats/min and lactate was 4 mM/L. At this swimming pace the swimmer would need to consume 470 kcal of glucose/hr. In addition, the energy produced at this swim pace was 13.25 kcal/min while the energy lost at the present subcutaneous fat quantity was 13.40 kcal/min, requiring a fat weight gain of 6,363.03 g (13.88 lbs) to resist heat loss. CONCLUSIONS: Finally, the data from the cold water immersions suggested that acclimatization occurred following two weeks of immersions. There results were provided to the swimmer and utilized in making decisions in preparation for the swim.

Acclimatization↗
PubMed2000

Allergy and asthma in elite summer sport athletes.

Exercise may increase ventilation up to 200 L/min for short periods of time in speed and power athletes, and for longer periods in endurance athletes, such as long-distance runners and swimmers. Therefore highly trained athletes are repeatedly and strongly exposed to cold air during winter training and to many pollen allergens in spring and summer. Competitive swimmers inhale and microaspirate large amounts of air that floats above the water surface, which means exposure to chlorine derivatives from swimming pool disinfectants. In the summer Olympic Games, 4% to 15% of the athletes showed evidence of asthma or used antiasthmatic medication. Asthma is most commonly found in endurance events, such as cycling, swimming, or long-distance running. The risk of asthma is especially increased among competitive swimmers, of which 36% to 79% show bronchial hyperresponsiveness to methacholine or histamine. The risk of asthma is closely associated with atopy and its severity among athletes. A few studies have investigated occurrence of exercise-induced bronchospasm among highly trained athletes. The occurrences of exercise-induced bronchospasm vary from 3% to 35% and depend on testing environment, type of exercise used, and athlete population tested. Mild eosinophilic airway inflammation has been shown to affect elite swimmers and cross-country skiers. This eosinophilic inflammation correlates with clinical parameters (ie, exercise-induced bronchial symptoms and bronchial hyperresponsiveness). Athletes commonly use antiasthmatic medication to treat their exercise-induced bronchial symptoms. However, controlled studies on their long-term effects on bronchial hyperresponsiveness and airway inflammation in the athletes are lacking. Follow-up studies on asthma in athletes are also lacking. What will happen to bronchial hyperresponsiveness and airway inflammation after discontinuation of competitional career is unclear. In the future, follow-up studies on bronchial responsiveness and airway inflammation, as well as controlled studies on both short- and long-term effects of antiasthmatic drugs in the athletes are needed.

Asthma↗
PubMed2004

The epidemiology and prevention of drowning in Singapore.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to derive a profile of drowning victims in Singapore in the 10-year period 1992-2001 and determine if there are any patterns, trends or factors which may affect the risk profile of victims. Another objective was to recommend measures for reducing deaths from drowning through a review of some of the current literature and studies on drowning prevention. METHODS: Data for epidemiological analysis were studied and analysed. Data was primarily obtained from the annual drowning statistics reported in the annual reports of the Singapore Life Saving Society, which were in turn obtained from the Registry of Births and Deaths, and the Coroner's Court. The review of current literature and studies on drowning was concentrated on the publications of leading drowning experts and agencies and on the papers presented at two important international conferences, the International Drowning Symposium in May 1996 and the first World Congress on Drowning in June 2002. The review was done with a view to identify successful drowning prevention measures that may be adopted or enhanced in Singapore. RESULTS: The study revealed a few important findings. Firstly, Singapore had a drowning rate per 100,000 population that varied from a low of 0.88 in one year to a high of 1.72 in another in the period 1992-2001. Secondly, the male drowning mortality rate in Singapore was much higher than the female drowning mortality rate. Thirdly, persons in the age group of 20-29 years were at the highest risk. Fourthly, the sea, rivers and swimming pools were the locations with the highest number of drowning victims. The study also showed that the main measures of drowning prevention may be broadly divided into supervision, environmental design changes, legislation, swimming lessons and aquatic safety education. CONCLUSION: The situation in Singapore is generally comparable to that in high income or developed countries although there are some differences. Further studies and research need to be done to provide a better understanding of the epidemiology and prevention of drowning in Singapore. In the meantime, the main measures of drowning prevention should, as far as possible, be followed or enhanced.

Adolescent↗