Diagnosing Overtraining Syndrome: A Scoping Review

Overtraining syndrome (OTS) is a condition characterized by a long-term performance decrement, which occurs after a persisting imbalance between training-related and nontraining-related load and recovery. Because of the lack of a gold standard diagnostic test, OTS remains a diagnosis of exclusion.; To systematically review and map biomarkers and tools reported in the literature as potentially diagnostic for OTS.; PubMed, Web of Science, and SPORTDiscus were searched from database inception to February 4, 2021, and results screened for eligibility. Backward and forward citation tracking on eligible records were used to complement results of database searching.; Studies including athletes with a likely OTS diagnosis, as defined by the European College of Sport Science and the American College of Sports Medicine, and reporting at least 1 biomarker or tool potentially diagnostic for OTS were deemed eligible.; Scoping review following the guidelines of the Joanna Briggs Institute and PRISMA Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR).; Level 4.; Athletes' population, criteria used to diagnose OTS, potentially diagnostic biomarkers and tools, as well as miscellaneous study characteristics were extracted.; The search yielded 5561 results, of which 39 met the eligibility criteria. Three diagnostic scores, namely the EROS-CLINICAL, EROS-SIMPLIFIED, and EROS-COMPLETE scores (EROS = Endocrine and Metabolic Responses on Overtraining Syndrome study), were identified. Additionally, basal hormone, neurotransmitter and other metabolite levels, hormonal responses to stimuli, psychological questionnaires, exercise tests, heart rate variability, electroencephalography, immunological and redox parameters, muscle structure, and body composition were reported as potentially diagnostic for OTS.; Specific hormones, neurotransmitters, and metabolites, as well as psychological, electrocardiographic, electroencephalographic, and immunological patterns were identified as potentially diagnostic for OTS, reflecting its multisystemic nature. As exemplified by the EROS scores, combinations of these variables may be required to diagnose OTS. These scores must now be validated in larger samples and within female athletes

Prevalence of diabetes mellitus type 2 and predictors of glycated hemoglobin in schoolchildren from marginalized communities of Gqeberha, South Africa

Background: In low-and-middle income countries prevalence of diabetes type 2 is increasing at an incomparable rate. Sedentarism and insufficient physical activity are major contributors to this rise. Assessment of glycated hemoglobin is considered as current gold standard for diagnosis of diabetes. Various biomarkers and anthropometric indices are assumed to be associated with glycated hemoglobin and could therefore be beneficial for identifying subjects with diabetes or at risk. The aim of the present study was to calculate the prevalence of diabetes and prediabetes as well as predictors of glycated hemoglobin among a sample of South African schoolchildren. Methods: Cross-sectional data was collected from February to April 2019 in schoolchildren (n = 1,372, age = 6−12 years) living in marginalized neighborhoods of Gqeberha, South Africa. Accelerometry, examination of capillary blood, anthropometric measurements and questionnaires were applied to obtain data on volume of physical activity and sedentary behavior, levels of glycated hemoglobin, hemoglobin, vitamin D, blood lipids, body mass index and socioeconomic status. Results: Prevalence of diabetes and prediabetes corresponded to 0%, 16.7% respectively. Coefficients of determination were small in multiple linear regression models, indicating that the selected explanatory variables only predicted a marginal fraction of variance in glycated hemoglobin. Only hemoglobin levels were considered statistically and practically significantly associated with glycated hemoglobin. Conclusion: In our sample glycated hemoglobin was associated with hemoglobin. Association of glycated hemoglobin with other biomarkers and anthropometric indices was marginal to non-existent. Therefore, caution is advised when interpreting glycated hemoglobin in populations with deviating hemoglobin levels