Recognition and rehabilitation of the female athlete triad/tetrad: a multidisciplinary approach.

While the benefits of physical activity are numerous, the female athlete triad poses a significant health risk to young athletes. Emerging research links the triad to endothelial dysfunction--a sentinel event in cardiovascular disease--suggesting that this complex interplay of metabolic and endocrine factors may be described more accurately as a tetrad. Effective treatment of the triad/tetrad requires a multidisciplinary approach. Emphasis must be placed on prevention, recognition, and treatment of triad for the promotion of healthy nutritional and activity profiles in female athletes across their lifespans.

Menstrual Irregularity, Hormonal Contraceptive Use, and Bone Stress Injuries in Collegiate Female Athletes in the United States.

BACKGROUND: Menstrual irregularity (MI) is common in female athletes and is a component of the Female Athlete Triad (Triad). Many athletes with the Triad are started on hormonal contraceptives (HC) for MI, but this interferes with the ability to monitor menstrual cycle regularity and can mask other causes of MI. There are limited studies investigating the relationship between MI, HC use, and injury in female collegiate athletes. OBJECTIVE: To examine the prevalence of and relationship between HC use, MI, and bone stress injuries in female collegiate athletes in the United States. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTING: Online survey. PARTICIPANTS: 1020 U.S. female collegiate athletes (age ≥ 18 years). METHODS OR INTERVENTIONS: Assessment of risk factors for menstrual irregularity and bone stress injuries was conducted via a one-time survey. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: HC use, MI, history of stress fractures. RESULTS: Current HC use prevalence was 65% (95% confidence interval [CI], 61.9%, 67.8%). Of all athletes, 47% reported past MI. Of the athletes who were not currently using HCs, 32% had current MI. Compared with athletes without past MI, more athletes with past MI reported current HC use (73% vs. 57%) and indicated menstrual cycle consistency as the primary reason for use (24% vs. 4%) (P < .001). Additionally, 25% of athletes reported a history of stress fractures, which was associated with lean/aesthetic sports participation (odds ratio [95% CI]: 1.9 [1.4, 2.5]; P < .001) and less oral contraceptive pill (OCP) use (0.7 [0.5, 1.0]; P = .043). Compared with OCPs, injectable HCs were associated with greater odds of a history of stress fractures (4.5[1.6, 12.3]; P = .004). CONCLUSIONS: HC use was prevalent among this cohort of female collegiate athletes, and almost half of the athletes reported past MI. A goal of menstrual cycle regularity was cited by 24% of athletes as a primary reason to use HCs, which shows that more athlete education is needed to avoid masking MI and the Triad with HCs. Further studies elucidating the relationship between HC use, MI, and sports-related injury are warranted.

Musculoskeletal Approach to Pelvic Pain.

Visceral and somatic causes of pelvic pain are often inter-related, and a musculoskeletal examination should always be considered for the successful diagnosis and treatment of pelvic pain. For the diverse etiologies of hip pain, there are many unique considerations for the diagnosis and treatment of these various disorders. Pelvic pain is often multidimensional due to the overlap between lumbo-hip-pelvic diagnoses and may require a multidisciplinary approach to evaluation and management.

The effect of protein and calorie intake on prealbumin, complications, length of stay, and function in the acute rehabilitation inpatient with stroke.

BACKGROUND: Nutrition's impact on stroke rehabilitation outcomes is controversial. Existing studies utilize albumin without correcting for inflammation in nutritional assessments. Here, prealbumin was used and inflammation assessed to determine if nutrition impacts rehabilitation outcomes. OBJECTIVE: Determine the effect of dietary intake on prealbumin level, number of complications, length of stay, and Functional Independence Measure (FIM) efficiency in rehabilitation stroke inpatients. METHODS: Patients had admission and discharge prealbumin and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels drawn; and, weekly protein and calorie counts obtained. Patients were followed for number of complications, length of stay, and FIM efficiency. RESULTS: Mean protein and calorie intake was 57.6 ± 16.2 g/d and 1452.2 ± 435.8 kcal/d, respectively. 77.6% of patients had normal prealbumin on admission with 94.9% on discharge. Prealbumin increased significantly from admission to discharge (22.3 ± 6.2 mg/dL vs. 24.6 mg/dL ± 5.1 mg/dL, P = 0.007). Number of complications and length of stay were predicted by CRP in regression models. Total, motor, and cognitive FIM efficiencies were not universally affected by prealbumin levels, protein intake, or calorie intake. CONCLUSIONS: Nearly all hypoprealbuminemic stroke rehabilitation inpatients correct their levels eating a non-supplemented diet. Number of complications, length of stay, and functional outcomes in this patient are not affected by prealbumin levels, protein intake, or calorie intake.