Inside athletes' minds: Preliminary results from a pilot study on mental representation of doping and potential implications for anti-doping

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Despite the growing body of literature and putative links between the use of ergogenic nutritional supplements, doping and illicit drugs, it remains unclear whether, in athletes' minds, doping aligns with illicit behaviour or with functional use of chemical or natural preparations. To date, no attempt has been made to quantitatively explore athletes' mental representation of doping in relation to illegality and functionality.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A convenience sample of student athletes from a large South-Eastern Australian university responded to an on-line survey. Competitive athletes (n = 46) were grouped based on self-reported use as follows: i) none used (30%), ii) supplement only (22%), iii) illicit only (26%) and iv) both supplements and illicit drug use (22%). Whereas no athlete reported doping, data provided on projected supplement-, doping- and drug use by the four user groups allowed evaluation of doping-related cognition in the context of self-reported supplement- and illicit drug taking behaviour; and comparison between these substances.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A significantly higher prevalence estimation was found for illicit drug use and a trend towards a biased social projection emerged for supplement use. Doping estimates by user groups showed mixed results, suggesting that doping had more in common with the ergogenic nutritional supplement domain than the illicit drug domain.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Assessing the behavioural domain to which doping belongs to in athletes' mind would greatly advance doping behaviour research toward prevention and intervention. Further investigation refining the peculiarity of the mental representation of doping with a larger study sample, controlling for knowledge of doping and other factors, is warranted.</p

International Olympic Committee consensus statement on pain management in elite athletes

Pain is a common problem among elite athletes and is frequently associated with sport injury. Both pain and injury interfere with the performance of elite athletes. There are currently no evidence-based or consensus-based guidelines for the management of pain in elite athletes. Typically, pain management consists of the provision of analgesics, rest and physical therapy. More appropriately, a treatment strategy should address all contributors to pain including underlying pathophysiology, biomechanical abnormalities and psychosocial issues, and should employ therapies providing optimal benefit and minimal harm. To advance the development of a more standardised, evidence-informed approach to pain management in elite athletes, an IOC Consensus Group critically evaluated the current state of the science and practice of pain management in sport and prepared recommendations for a more unified approach to this important topic

An improved design of optical sensor for long-term measurement of arterial blood flow waveform

We present here the improved design and development of optical sensor for non-invasive measurements of arterial blood flow waveform. The sensor is based on a physical principle of reflective photoplethysmography (PPG). As the light source we used serially connected infrared diodes whereas NPN silicon phototransistors were used as light detectors. The electronic components were molded into square package and poured with silicone. Such preparation produced an elastic superficies that allowed excellent attachment of the sensor on the skins surface. Moreover, a serial connection of infrared diodes and phototransistors completely eliminated signal artifacts caused by minor muscle contractions. The sensor recording performances were examined at the photoplethysmographic sites on three different arteries; the commune carotid, femoral and radial and, on each site the sensor demonstrated remarkable capability to make a consistent, reproducible measurements. Because of the advantageous physical and electrical properties, the new sensor is suitable for various cardiovascular diagnostics procedures, especially when long-term measurements of arterial blood flow waveform are required, for monitoring of different parameters in cardiovascular units and for research

Influence of circadian blood pressure patterns and cardiopulmonary functional capacity in hypertensive patients

We sought to assess functional capacity in recently diagnosed untreated hypertensive patients with different 24-hour blood pressure (BP) patterns (dipping, non-dipping, extreme dipping, and reverse dipping). This cross-sectional study involved 164 untreated hypertensive patients who underwent 24-hour ambulatory BP monitoring and cardiopulmonary exercise testing. Our findings showed that 24-hour and daytime BP values did not differ between four groups. Nighttime BP significantly and gradually increased from extreme dippers to reverse dippers. There was no significant difference in BPs at baseline and at the peak of exercise among four observed groups. Peak oxygen consumption (peak VO2) was significantly lower in reverse dippers than in dippers and extreme dippers. Heart rate recovery was significantly lower among reverse dippers than in dippers and extreme dippers. Ventilation/carbon dioxide slope (VE/VCO2) was significantly higher in reverse dippers and non-dippers in comparison with dippers and extreme dippers. Non-dipping BP pattern (non-dippers and reverse dippers together) was independently and negatively associated lower heart rate recovery in the first minute and peak VO2. Reverse dipping BP pattern was independently associated not only with heart rate recovery in the first minute and peak VO2, but also with VE/VCO2. In conclusion, untreated hypertensive patients with reverse dipping BP patterns showed significantly worse functional capacity than those with dipping and extreme dipping BP patterns. Circadian BP rhythm is related with functional capacity and should be taken into account in the risk assessment of hypertensive patients

Is there association between left atrial function and functional capacity in patients with uncomplicated type 2 diabetes?

We sought to investigate the relationship between phasic left atrial function (LA) and functional capacity in the patients with type 2 diabetes (DM). This cross-sectional investigation included 72 controls and 64 uncomplicated DM subjects. All participants underwent echocardiographic examination and cardiopulmonary exercise testing. Total and passive LA emptying fractions (EF), demonstrating LA reservoir and conduit function, were significantly lower in DM patients than in controls. Active LA EF, the parameter of LA booster pump function, was similar between DM and controls. Total and positive LA strains, corresponding with reservoir and conduit function, were also significantly reduced in DM subjects comparing with controls. However, negative LA strain—parameter of LA booster pump function, was significantly increased in DM patients in comparison with controls. Peak oxygen consumption was significantly reduced and ventilation/carbon dioxide slope was elevated in DM patients. In the whole study population LA global longitudinal strain was associated with heart rate recovery in the first minute, peak oxygen consumption and ventilation/carbon dioxide slope independently of other clinical parameters and LV hypertrophy and LV diastolic function. In conclusion, LA phasic function and functional capacity were significantly impaired in the patients with DM. LA longitudinal strain, but not LA volume index, was independently related with functional capacity in the whole study population. Our results suggest that evaluation of LA function and functional capacity could detect subclinical target organ damage and prevent development of further complications in uncomplicated DM patients

Sport-specific influences on respiratory patterns in elite athletes

ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE: To examine differences in lung function among sports that are of a similar nature and to determine which anthropometric/demographic characteristics correlate with lung volumes and flows. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study involving elite male athletes (N = 150; mean age, 21 4 years) engaging in one of four different sports, classified according to the type and intensity of exercise involved. All athletes underwent full anthropometric assessment and pulmonary function testing (spirometry). RESULTS: Across all age groups and sport types, the elite athletes showed spirometric values that were significantly higher than the reference values. We found that the values for FVC, FEV1, vital capacity, and maximal voluntary ventilation were higher in water polo players than in players of the other sports evaluated (p < 0.001). In addition, PEF was significantly higher in basketball players than in handball players (p < 0.001). Most anthropometric/demographic parameters correlated significantly with the spirometric parameters evaluated. We found that BMI correlated positively with all of the spirometric parameters evaluated (p < 0.001), the strongest of those correlations being between BMI and maximal voluntary ventilation (r = 0.46; p < 0.001). Conversely, the percentage of body fat correlated negatively with all of the spirometric parameters evaluated, correlating most significantly with FEV1 (r = −0.386; p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that the type of sport played has a significant impact on the physiological adaptation of the respiratory system. That knowledge is particularly important when athletes present with respiratory symptoms such as dyspnea, cough, and wheezing. Because sports medicine physicians use predicted (reference) values for spirometric parameters, the risk that the severity of restrictive disease or airway obstruction will be underestimated might be greater for athletes

Association between functional capacity and heart rate variability in patients with uncomplicated type 2 diabetes

Objective: We sought to investigate functional capacity, heart rate variability (HRV), as well as their relationship in the patients with uncomplicated type 2 diabetes. Methods: This cross-sectional observational study included 62 controls and 53 uncomplicated diabetic patients. Included subjects underwent laboratory analysis, 24-h ECG Holter monitoring and cardiopulmonary exercise testing. Results: All parameters of time and frequency domain of HRV were decreased in the diabetic patients. Oxygen uptake at ventilatory threshold (18.3 ± 3.9 vs. 14.6 ± 3.6 mL/kg/min, p < .001), peak oxygen uptake (peak VO2) (27.8 ± 4.1 vs. 19.5 ± 4.3, mL/kg/min, p < .001) and oxygen pulse were significantly lower in the diabetic group, whereas ventilation/carbon dioxide ratio and ventilation/carbon dioxide slope (25.4 ± 2.5 vs. 28.6 ± 3.9, p < .001) were significantly higher in this group. Furthermore, heart rate recovery in the first minute was significantly lower in the diabetic group (26 ± 5 vs. 23 ± 5 beats/min, p = .003). In the whole study population HbA1c and SDNN were independently of other clinical and HRV parameters associated with peak VO2, ventilation/carbon dioxide slope and heart rate recovery in the first minute. Conclusions: Our investigation showed that both functional capacity and HRV were significantly impaired in uncomplicated diabetic patients. HbA1c, an important parameter of glucose regulation, was independently associated with HRV parameters and functional capacity in the whole study population. This reveals a potentially important role of determination of functional capacity and cardiac autonomic function as important markers of preclinical damage in diabetic population