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[Supervision of body composition and cardiovascular parameters in long sprint running athletes (400 m)].

INTRODUCTION: The follow-up of performances and the prevention about possible incidents at the athletes make necessary the medical supervision in physical training. The aims of this study are to estimate the effect of a precompetition training program in athletes' body composition, and cardiovascular modifications (in clinical examination and electrocardiogram) MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ten athletes (3 men and 7 women; mean age of 23.6 +/- 3.16 years) of Dakar international Athletics' Center are subjected to a training on a period of 2 months in aerobic dominant followed by a period of 3 months in anaerobic dominant. At the beginning and the end of training program, an electrocardiogram is recorded after blood pressure (BP) measure in lying and standing posture and heart rate (HR) take. The weight, height and cutaneous folds are measured to calculate the body fat percentage, fat body mass, fat-free mass and body mass index. Every athlete has performed the Ruffier test Comparisons are realized by the paired t-test, statistically significant for a p value < 0,05 RESULTS: Significant declines after training interest HR (79.2 +/- 14.7 vs 63.2 +/- 10.25 beat min(-1); p< 0.001), systolic BP in standing posture (11.8 +/- 0.44 vs 10.6 +/- 0.96 mmHg; p= 0.02), and Ruffier index (4.4 +/- 3.28 vs 2.23 +/- 1.62; p= 0.048) whereas the fat-free mass increased (53.14 +/- 8.41 vs 54.16 +/- 9.67 kg; p= 0.046). At the electrocardiogram, the number of athletes having sinusal bradycardia is crossed from 1 to 4; there is no modification as for the two cases of uncomplete right bundle-branch block and the pre-existent left ventricular hypertrophy. Negative T waves in V1 and V2 leads are present in one athlete before training and in two others after. CONCLUSION: The impact of the specific training on body is real, interesting more the cardiovascular system.

Adult↗

Abuse of drugs used to enhance athletic performance.

The ergogenic potential of drugs used by athletes to enhance performance is reviewed, and areas of involvement for pharmacists interested in the problem of drug abuse in athletics are described. Athletes use drugs for therapeutic and recreational purposes, as supposed ergogenic aids, and to mask the presence of other drugs during testing. Because many athletes train for competition and not for health, they may view the risk-to-benefit ratio of ergogenic drugs as favorable and may begin using them at an early age. Alcohol is the drug most commonly used by student athletes. Although alcohol has no ergogenic benefit, it is viewed as a caloric source and an anxiolytic. Amphetamines do not prevent exhaustion but may mask fatigue, which can have dangerous consequences. Anabolic steroids appear to increase strength but frequently cause adverse reactions, primarily involving the hepatic and endocrine systems. Beta-blocking agents have been shown to reduce anxiety, hand tremor, and heart rate in precision sports like archery, but susceptible persons may experience serious adverse effects. Caffeine improves the efficiency of fuel use and reduces fatigue; its use has been banned by several athletic organizations. Neither cocaine nor marijuana causes any increase in strength. Secretion of human growth hormone may be stimulated by a variety of agents, but evidence that any subsequent increases in size and weight occur is lacking. Other substances tried by athletes include vitamins and minerals, naloxone, albuterol, and human recombinant erythropoietin. Opportunities in sports pharmacy exists in the areas of information retrieval and interpretation, drug testing, legislation to reclassify drugs, education, and research.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Doping in Sports↗

Lower prevalence of non-reproductive system cancers among female former college athletes.

Lower prevalence of non-reproductive system cancers among former college athletes. Med. Sci. Sports Exerc., Vol. 21, No. 3, pp. 250-253, 1989. The prevalence (lifetime occurrence) rates of cancers of nonreproductive organs and tissues were determined for 5,398 living alumnae, 2,622 of whom were former college athletes and 2,776 who had been nonathletes, from data on medical history, reproductive history, athletic training, and diet. The non-reproductive system cancers were divided into two classes: class I, which included cancers of the digestive system, thyroid, bladder, lung, and other sites and hematopoietic cancers (lymphoma, leukemia, myeloma, and Hodgkin's disease), and class II, which included skin cancers and cutaneous melanoma. The former college athletes had a significantly lower prevalence of class I cancers compared to the nonathletes; the age-adjusted relative risk (RR) equals 3.34, 95% confidence limits (1.35, 8.33), P = 0.009. In contrast, the prevalence rates of malignant melanomas and skin cancers did not differ significantly between the former athletes and nonathletes. The age-adjusted RR did not differ from 1.0. The lower prevalence rate of class I cancers among the former athletes is in accord with previous findings of a significantly lower prevalence rate of breast cancer and cancers of the reproductive system among former college athletes compared to nonathletes.

Adult↗

[Extreme cardiac hypertrophy in athletes. Morphological and functional echographic study].

Cardiac hypertrophy is an adaptation phenomenon of the heart as a result of increased hemodynamic load due to intense and prolonged training in athletes. This is mainly seen in endurance athletes. In some cases cardiac hypertrophy can mimic hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, specially if hypertrophy is mainly localized at the interventricular septum as compared to the left ventricular free wall. In our study we tried to evaluate the different diagnostic features obtained by echocardiography and clinical examination in a group of 23 athletes with marked hypertrophy (all were participants to the 1984 Olympic Games held in Los Angeles) as compared to a group of 11 sportsmen with non-obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HC). Cardiomyopathy was diagnosed on the basis of clinical, echocardiographic and angio-scintigraphic findings. The 23 athletes were selected on the basis of M-Mode and 2D echocardiographic thickness of the interventricular septum (IVS) which was in diastole greater than or equal to 15 mm. They were all asymptomatic, only 4 of the 23 athletes had ECG anomalies due to left axis deviation (LAS) and T wave inversion. Only 4 of the subjects with HC had a family history of HC. ECG changes were the following: T wave inversion (9 subjects), left axis deviation (LAD) (4 subjects), deep Q wave in D2-3, aVF, V5-6 (2 subjects) and low voltage R wave in V5-6 (1 subject). All the athletes had marked hypertrophy of the IVS. Interventricular septum thickness (IVST) was 15.7 +/- 0.6 mm, with a range from 15 to 17.5 mm. Posterior wall thickness (PWT) was 13.7 +/- 1.1 with a range from 12 to 16 mm. The sportsmen with HC had an IVST of 16.2 +/- 3.5 mm and a PWT of 11.3 +/- 1.5 mm. The IVST/PWT ratio was significantly lower (p less than 0.01) in the athletes (1.14 +/- 0.02) when compared to the group with HC (1.4 +/- 0.3). In 7 of the subjects with HC the hypertrophy was mainly localized at the anterolateral segment of the interventricular septum (in 4 of these subjects the hypertrophy involved also the antero-lateral part of the left ventricular free wall).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Adaptation, Physiological↗

The female athletic role as a status determinant within the social systems of high school adolescents.

This study examined the relationship between female athletic participation and status attainment within the social status systems of high school adolescents. Although earlier research has consistently demonstrated that the athletic role for males is associated with greatest status within the school, findings regarding the status of female athletes have been contradictory: Some studies have found high status rankings for female athletes while others have revealed negative results. It was therefore argued that current research go beyond the general construct of "female athlete" and consider the type of sport with which the adolescent female is associated as a possible status determinant. Employing a sport typology proposed by Metheny (1967), it was predicted that females associated with sex-appropriate or "feminine" sports (e.g., tennis) would receive significantly higher status ratings than those identified with sex-inappropriate or "masculine" sports (e.g., basketball). One hundred and twenty-one male subjects were asked to indicate which female athlete (associated with a sex-appropriate versus a sex-inappropriate sport) they would most like to date, while 111 female subjects were asked to choose which female athlete they would most like to have as a friend. Chi-square analyses revealed that, as predicted, females associated with sex-appropriate sports were given significantly greater status than females identified with sex-inappropriate sports by both male and female subjects. These results suggest that social assessments made about female sport participation within high school status systems remain heavily influenced by traditional beliefs regarding feminine, "ladylike" behavior.

Adolescent↗

Athletic amenorrhea: lack of association with body fat.

The most commonly tested hypothetical cause of athletic amenorrhea has been low body fat. Test results have conflicted because of mixed groups of athletes and methodologic problems. In this study, we measured body fat only in distance runners (greater than 53 km X wk-1) of the same somatotype who clearly had regular menses or secondary amenorrhea; this permitted more valid group comparison of body fat using hydrostatic weighing. The regularly menstruating group (N = 7) had 12 periods X yr-1 at intervals of 26.5 +/- 1.0 (SE) days with a duration of 4.1 +/- 0.4 days. In the athletic amenorrhea group (N = 7), menstrual periods had been absent for 1 to 10 yr (average = 3.9 +/- 1.3 yr); they were gynecologically evaluated to restrict the group to those with athletic amenorrhea. The groups were similar in a number of categories: weight, height, age, menarcheal age, weekly training mileage, days/week training, years of training, and maximum oxygen uptake. Percent body fat for the two groups was the same: 17.7 +/- 2.1% for the amenorrheic athletes and 17.4 +/- 1.2% for the regularly menstruating athletes (P = 0.91). These data do not support the idea that low body fat per se causes athletic amenorrhea.

Adipose Tissue↗

Bone mineral density after resumption of menses in amenorrheic athletes.

Amenorrheic athletes have been found to have a lower vertebral bone mineral density (BMD) than matched groups of eumenorrheic athletes. This study reports changes in BMD over a 15.5 month period in athletes who regained menses, athletes who remained amenorrheic, and athletes with regular cycles. The BMD was measured at two sites on the radius and at the lumbar vertebrae (L-1 through L-4), using single- and dual-photon densitometry, respectively. Changes in vertebral BMD were significant for the amenorrheic group (+6.3%), but not for cyclic women (-0.3%). A slight increase in radial density at S-1 and S-2 was not significant for either group. Two athletes who remained amenorrheic during this period continued to lose bone (-3.4%). We conclude that resumption of menses was the primary factor for the significant increase in the vertebral BMD of the formerly amenorrheic athletes.

Adult↗

Age at menarche, family size, and birth order in athletes at the Montreal Olympic Games, 1976.

Age at menarache, family size, and birth order in 145 athletes at the Montreal Olympic Games, 1976, were determined through interview. The athletes represented 27 countries, but 76% came from Canada, Great Britain and the United States. On the average, athletes attained menarche later than the general population in their respective countries, the mean age at menarche for the sample of 139 athletes who had attained menarche at the time of the survey being 13.66 +/- 0.12 years. Six athletes had not yet attained menarche at the time of the survey. Gymnasts, runners and rowers attained menarche significantly later than swimmers, but gymnasts, runners, rowers and jumpers/hurdlers did not differ significantly among themselves in the age at menarche. Correlations between age at menarche and family size and birth order were significant, but low to moderate in magnitude. Athletes from larger families tended to have, on the average, later menarche than those from smaller families, this trend being more apparent in rowers and track and field athletes.

Adolescent↗

[Quantitative-morphometric and functional-anatomical studies on the locomotor apparatus of athletes. IV. Discussion, resume and literature].

The locomotor system of 155 athletes from 3 athletic disciplines was examined, and the data of 20 anthropometrical measurements and the results for the corresponding disciplines were recorded subjected to a multivariate morphometrical analysis with the following aim: 1. To evaluate the morphological and functional-anatomical criteria of the locomotor system which quantified the variation differences in the body composition of the athletic groups, and which indicated a quantifiable functional-anatomical relationship between the variation in the body composition and the result in the corresponding disciplines. 2. To show the bivariate relationship between the morphological parameter and the results in the corresponding disciplines, and furthermore to evaluate the amount of result-increasing or result-decreasing components in a morphological variable. 3. To analyse the morphological variation of the 20 body composition variables and the corresponding results in the disciplines by means of factor analysis. This is achieved by the use of multivariate methods to analyse the variation in the athlete's body composition and the result-influencing-components. The following results were obtained: 1. There are partly pronounced morphological differences between the 3 athletic groups, quantified by discriminant functions. The differences in the locomotor system were reduced to 2 independent axes of variation, with one axis being identified as the general size variation between the 3 groups, and the other as the difference in the variation of the degree of strength of the musculature of the trunk and the limbs by considering the length and breadth measurements. For both canonical axes, the shotputters have above-average high canonical numbers compared to the other 2 groups. The sprinters and long jumpers show conformity in the general size variation of the locomotor system, but they differ in the second axis. Whilst in both groups the lower limbs are similarly constituted in form, shape and size, the canonical values of the trunk and the upper limbs of the sprinters are higher. In this respect, they tend more towards the shot-putter group. The morphological differences obtained for the athlete's locomotor system are functional-anatomically related to the corresponding athletic disciplines. 2. In almost every case, the regression functions for the shot-putters show an approximately linear relationship between the morphological variables and the result of the shot-putt. The quadratic and cubic regression functions only deviate slightly from the linearity, i.e. the result will be altered depending on the height and size of the body composition (within the possible range of biological variation). On the other hand, the sprinting result, either increased or decreased, is determined by a limited morphological variation of the parameter of the locomotor system...

Anthropometry↗

[Menarche, menstrual and sociodemographic characteristics of Puerto Rican female athletes in the XV and XVI Central American and Caribbean Games].

UNLABELLED: This investigation described maturation, menstrual and socio-demographic characteristics of 65 Puerto Rican women athletes that were interviewed during the XVI Central American and Caribbean Games (CACG), Mexico City in 1990. The results were compared with those of Puerto Rican women athletes (n = 52) at the XV CACG, Santiago Dominican Republic, 1986. The quantitative variables (age, age at initiation of training, years of training, age at menarche, birth order, and family size) were not statistically different (t-independent, p > or = 0.05). The observed frequencies for the qualitative variables (menstrual characteristics, degree of certainty in the recall of age of menarche, use of oral contraceptives, and marital status) were very similar. IN CONCLUSION: the women at the XVI CAC in Mexico demonstrated similar maturational, menstrual and socio-demographic characteristics to the those athletes evaluated four years earlier in Santiago and based on their long history of training, both samples were representative of athletically mature athletes. The findings were very similar to those reported for olympic athletes and such data expands the available information on Puerto Rican women athletes.

Adult↗

Spectral analysis of heart rate variability in athletes.

The objectives of the study were to characterize power spectrum pattern of the heart rate variability and assessment of the relative contributions of sympathetic and parasympathetic cardiac nervous system control in athletes. Thirty-three male athletes, swimming (1), canoeing (10), cycling (6), athletics (4), football (3), roller-skating (2) and volleyball (7) aged 23.4 +/- 5.5 years, with a mean athletic level of 18 hours/week (8-45) and 33 sedentary healthy control subjects were included. Ecg signals were recorded after a period of 15 minutes in supine rest with controlled breathing at 15 cycles/min. Signal acquisition was done at 300 samples/sec. From 512 consecutive heart beats, we calculated mean average, standard deviation, maximum and minimum R-R intervals and, after computing the fast Fourier transform, total spectrum power, low frequency (LF), high frequency (HF) components and its ratio (LF/HF). The average R-R interval was 987.7 +/- 168.8 ms and 762.7 +/- 125.3 ms, the variance was 5.44 and 2.51 ms2 and ratio of R-R interval maximum/minimum (E/I ratio) 1.53 +/- 0.16 and 1.41 +/- 0.16, respectively for athletes and control group. Differences between groups were significant (p < 0.01) for all parameters, with higher variability in the athletes. Both spectral bands (LF and HF) had higher power in athletes (LF = 925 +/- 920 and HF = 2258 +/- 2349 ms2) than in the control group (LF = 442 +/- 446 and HF = 1179 +/- 1542 ms2) (p < 0.01). There were no significant differences for LF/HF ratio, or normalized LF (LF%) or normalized HF (HF%) between groups.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗

Sudden death in young athletes: screening for the needle in a haystack.

Nontraumatic sudden death in young athletes is always disturbing, as apparently invincible athletes, become, without warning, victims of silent heart disease. Despite public perception to the contrary, sudden death in young athletes is exceedingly rare. It most commonly occurs in male athletes, who have estimated death rates nearly fivefold greater than the rates of female athletes. Congenital cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of non-traumatic sudden athletic death, with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy being the most common cause. Screening athletes for disorders capable of provoking sudden death is a challenge because of the low prevalence of disease, and the cost and limitations of available screening tests. Current recommendations for cardiovascular screening call for a careful history and physical examination performed by a knowledgeable health care provider. Specialized testing is recommended only in cases that warrant further evaluation.

Death, Sudden↗

Ultra-triathlon-related blood-chemical and endocrinological responses in nine athletes.

BACKGROUND: Objective of this study was to get more insight in hematology, biochemistry, and endocrinology of ultra-endurance exercise, to improve knowledge in this field, supplementation, and medical care of affected athletes. METHODS: A large body of individual hematological, biochemical, and endocrinological parameters was analyzed in the blood taken from ultra-athletes before and after completing the 1993 Colmar ultra triathlon covering 7.5 km swimming, 360 km cycling, and approximately 85 km running. PARTICIPANTS: Nine experienced ultra-athletes participated in the study. A follow-up was not possible since the athletes left Colmar within 24 hrs after the contest. RESULTS: The athletes finished the ultra-contest at rankings 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 11, 18, 22, 23 in a total time between 23:38:53 and 27:54:30 hr:min:sec. Their final body mass (68.6 +/- 1 kg) was significantly lower than at baseline (71.9 +/- 4.2 kg). Non of the athletes made use of medical care. Data after this contest reflect mild hyponatremia, intravascular hemolysis, increased triglyceride turnover, acute-phase reaction, hyperaldosteronemia 2061 +/- 1013 pmol.L-1), hypercortisolemia 971 +/- 486 nmol.L-1), hyper-growth-hormonemia (median 6.8 ng.ml-1), hypoinsulinemia, hypo-free-testosteronemia (42 +/- 17 pmol.L-1), protein catabolism, depressed testicular function, oliguria, and muscle cell leakage. CONCLUSIONS: In our opinion, data presented do not reflect any acute health risks in healthy athletes who are well prepared and carefully supplied during such a contest.

Adult↗

Effect of acute exercise on skin potential in sedentaries and trained athletes.

Endosomatic electrodermal activity (skin potential level and skin potential response) as an indirect indicator of sympathetic nervous system activity was measured in 35 sedentary male students and 22 trained athletes of two groups during resting and after an acute exercise. The aim of this study was to investigate the difference of skin potential parameters between sedentaries and trained athletes before and after the acute exercise in bicycle ergometer. In sedentaries' group while skin potential level (SPL) and latency showed no significant variations, skin potential response (SPR) decreased significantly after the exercise (P < 0.001). In athletes' group SPL increased (P < 0.01) and SPR decreased (P < 0.05) after the exercise but latency had no significant difference. In addition, athletes had significantly higher SPL and lower SPR values before and after the exercise comparing with the sedentaries. The increase of SPL in athletes' group was thought to depend on sweat duct pores which have been more active and open than sedentaries. Also the decrease in SPR in athletes' group was thought to depend on the lower sweating threshold in athletes.

Adolescent↗

Sports ability after Bankart procedure in professional athletes.

Recurrent anterior shoulder instability and the restoration of sports ability after surgery are common problems, especially among professional athletes. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the rate, level and time of returning to sports activity activity after Bankart procedure in anterior shoulder instability in high level athletes. From 1992-1994 61 patients suffering from recurrent anterior shoulder instability were operated on open Bankart procedure, 44 out of 61 were professional athletes. There were 7 handball, 7 basketball, 6 football, 2 waterpolo and 1 baseball player and 4 wrestlers, 2 weight-lifters, 2 boxers, 3 bicyclists, 2 motorists, 2 swimmers, 2 sailors, 2 kayakers and 2 skiers. The mean duration of instability was 19.1 months (3-72) before operation. 29 patients had posttraumatic recurrent anterior dislocation and 15 patients had posttraumatic anterior subluxations. The average number of redislocations was 4.4, ranging from 2 to 11. At the follow-up examination the patients were tested clinically for instability using the special score created by Walch and Duplay and the Constant functional score. We measured the strength of the rotator cuff by Kintrex isokinetic device from the 10th postoperative week. 35 out of 44 professional athletes could be followed-up. The average follow-up period was 14.2 months, from 6 to 31. 88% of the patients were able to return to sports participation, 66% on the previous level and 22% on a lower level. 12% of the patients finished their professional sports career. The mean rehabilitation period was 5.8 months, the average period of full restoration of sports ability was 9.3 months. Similar results were documented with the Constant score and the Walch-Duplay test (88% excellent or good, 12% fair). The main reason for the inability to continue sports activity was some pain during extreme abduction and external rotation of the arm and recurrent sensations of subluxation (3 cases). Based on the results of the follow-up examinations an early diagnosis is paramount followed by timely surgical intervention to restore anatomical integrity in proven cases of shoulder instability in professional athletes. The open Bankart procedure is preferred giving excellent functional results and providing good chances for the athletes to return to their previous sports level.

Adolescent↗

Osteochondral autologous transplantation versus microfracture for the treatment of articular cartilage defects in the knee joint in athletes.

The purpose of this prospective randomized clinical study was to compare the outcomes of mosaic type autologous osteochondral transplantation (OAT) and microfracture (MF) procedures for the treatment of the articular cartilage defects of the knee joint in athletes. Between 1998 and 2002, a total of 57 athletes with a mean age of 24.3 years and with a symptomatic lesion of the articular cartilage in the knee were randomized to undergo either OAT or MF procedure. There were 28 athletes in OAT group and 29 in MF group. Patients were evaluated using a modified Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) and International Cartilage Repair Society (ICRS) scores, MRI and clinical assessment after 6, 12, 24 and 36 months after the surgery. According to the modified HSS and ICRS scores, functional and objective assessment showed that 96% had excellent or good results after OAT compared with 52% after MF procedure (P<0.001). In 12, 24 and 36 months after the operations, the HSS and ICRS showed statistically significantly better results in the OAT group (P=0.03; P=0.006; P=0.006). Twenty-six (93%) athletes following OAT and fifteen (52%) athletes following MF returned to sports activities at the preinjury level at an average of 6.5 months (range, 4-8 months) after the operations. At an average of 37.1 months follow-up, our prospective, randomized, clinical study in athletes has shown significant superiority of the OAT over MF for the repair of articular cartilage defects in the knee.

Adult↗

Central nervous system trauma management of concussions in athletes.

The care of athletes with concussions is challenging because each patient has different symptoms. An athlete should never be returned to play until completely asymptomatic. Classification systems for concussions are not based on scientific evidence and represent some practitioners' best guess at what is safe for young athletes. Many experienced team physicians believe they can allow an athlete to play safely if there are no symptoms at rest and no symptoms with increasing intensity of exercise. Abbreviated neuropsychological testing and balance tests show promise for use in the field to increase the sensitivity of our neurological evaluation on injured athletes. Any neuropsychological or balance evaluation is more helpful if baseline data is collected on athletes before they are injured.

Adolescent↗

Arthroscopic treatment of posterior impingement of the elbow in athletes.

Arthroscopic treatment of posterior impingement of the elbow in athletes consistently can improve comfort and function. Arthroscopic treatment is particularly valuable because of increased intra-articular visualization of the anterior and posterior compartments and diminished soft tissue trauma. Arthroscopic visualization also can help the surgeon assess small pathologic changes in joint congruity seen in subtle forms of ligamentous instability, which are often symptomatic in high-demand athletes. Treatment of these subtle instabilities can be individualized to the athlete. Most athletes are able to return to the same level of their sport after arthroscopic surgery for posterior impingement of the elbow. In certain athletes, however, depending on the position played, reoperation rates are high, and return rates to the same level of competition can be less than in other athletes with posterior impingement of the elbow. Patient selection, technical expertise, and familiarity with open and arthroscopic elbow surgery are all criteria for success.

Arthroscopy↗