Diagnostic Algorithm for the Risk of Dermatosis Occurrence in Athletes.

ABSTRACT

Summary: The investigation had the aim to evaluate the effect of professional sports on the functional condition of the skin in order to develop a diagnostic algorithm for the risk of skin diseases occurrence in athletes. We examined 182 people 126 athletes and 56 non athletes within the period of 2013 to 2014. Athletes were divided into 3 groups comparable in the sex and age composition, with the average age of 23.4±0.6 years old. The 1st group comprised 77 athletes of water sports (swimmers, water polo players and pentathlets), the 2nd group comprised 49 not aquatics athletes. We used microbiological tests Method of contact inoculation, washing off method, a testing system in the real time PCR format and biophysical tests Corneometry and sebumetry. Results: The species composition of the staphylococcal microflora in the 1st and 2nd groups (χ2=22.7, p<0.001), аs well as that in the 1st and 3rd groups (χ2=12.8, p<0.05) was positively different. In the 1st group S. aureus prevailed, in the 2nd group the S. epidermidis, and in the 3rd group - both. The highest dissemination of the Malassezia species yeast was revealed in the 1st group (61.5%) and in the 2nd group (61.8%). The frequency for revealing P. acnes, granulosum and avidum both in athletes and in the control group was 100%. The indices of corneometry and sebumetry on the athletes skin, independently of the water factor effect, were positively lower than in the 3rd group (t=1.7, p<0.05).