Identification of Breathing Pattern Disorder in Athletes With Exercise-Induced Laryngeal Obstruction: A Novel Assessment Tool.

OBJECTIVE: To report the diagnostic utility of the novel, high-ventilatory task assessment tool called the Milstein Breathing Pattern Assessment Index (M-BPAI) for evaluation of Breathing Pattern Disorder (BPD) in athletes with and without breathing difficulty, and to evaluate the prevalence of BPD in athletes referred for Exercise Induced Laryngeal Obstruction (EILO). BPD is an abnormal respiratory biomechanical pattern caused from functional or structural factors. The presence of BPD in athletes with EILO is unknown. The current clinical evaluations of dysfunctional breathing patterns are limiting for evaluation of BPD in patients with EILO, as these only evaluate the patients in low ventilatory output tasks of rest breathing. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: In this prospective study, a total of 77 athletes referred to the clinic for suspected EILO and 58 athletes without any respiratory difficulty underwent M-BPAI assessment. Data collection from the experimental group also included the Dyspnea Index, and laryngeal video endoscopic provocation test. RESULTS: The M-BPAI score was significantly larger in the patient group compared to the control group. An overall M-BPAI score of ≥8 corresponds to the AUC of 0.87 (95% CI: 0.81-0.93) with a sensitivity of 0.862 and specificity of 0.792. A total of 60 (78%) patients had an overall M-BPAI score of ≥8. CONCLUSION: The M-BPAI has the potential to be a valuable clinical diagnostic marker for identifying BPD in patients with suspected EILO with further research and validation.

The use of virtual visits for obesity pharmacotherapy in patients with overweight or obesity compared with in-person encounters.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to demonstrate noninferiority using telehealth in treating obesity with phentermine in patients with BMI ≥ 27 kg/m2 with comorbidities or BMI ≥ 30 compared with the standard in-person approach over a 90-day period. METHODS: A 12-week, randomized, prospective, single-center, open label trial compared the use of virtual visits versus in-person visits for the treatment of obesity using phentermine. The primary end point was percentage mean change in body weight from baseline to 12 weeks. A noninferiority approach assuming a 3% noninferiority region was used to assess effect size differences. RESULTS: The weight loss in the virtual visit arm was noninferior to the in-person arm at all time points. At 12 weeks, the mean change in weight was -6.5% among the virtual group and -7.7% among the in-person group. In addition, 65% of virtual patients and 71% of in-person patients demonstrated a weight reduction of at least 5%. There was no difference in medication tolerance, adherence, and compliance. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that the virtual obesity pharmacotherapy visits in adults aged 18 to 65 years prescribed phentermine are effective and noninferior in achieving meaningful weight loss after 12 weeks. Future clinical trials are needed to better assess the effectiveness of televisits for obesity pharmacotherapy.

Write an exercise Rx to improve patients' cardiorespiratory fitness.

Assessing physical activity is an opportunity to encourage lifestyle-based tactics for reducing cardiovascular risk. These handy tables serve as practical guides.

Gamer's Health Guide: Optimizing Performance, Recognizing Hazards, and Promoting Wellness in Esports.

Electronic sports (esports), or competitive video gaming, is a rapidly growing industry and phenomenon. While around 90% of American children play video games recreationally, the average professional esports athlete spends 5.5 to 10 h gaming daily. These times and efforts parallel those of traditional sports activities where individuals can participate at the casual to the professional level with the respective time commitments. Given the rapid growth in esports, greater emphasis has been placed on identification, management, and prevention of common health hazards that are associated with esports participation while also focusing on the importance of health promotion for this group of athletes. This review outlines a three-point framework for sports medicine providers, trainers, and coaches to provide a holistic approach for the care of the esports athlete. This esports framework includes awareness and management of common musculoskeletal and health hazards, opportunities for health promotion, and recommendations for performance optimization.