Menthol as an Ergogenic Aid for the Tokyo 2021 Olympic Games: An Expert-Led Consensus Statement Using the Modified Delphi Method.

INTRODUCTION: Menthol topical application and mouth rinsing are ergogenic in hot environments, improving performance and perception, with differing effects on body temperature regulation. Consequently, athletes and federations are beginning to explore the possible benefits to elite sport performance for the Tokyo 2021 Olympics, which will take place in hot (~ 31 °C), humid (70% RH) conditions. There is no clear consensus on safe and effective menthol use for athletes, practitioners, or researchers. The present study addressed this shortfall by producing expert-led consensus recommendations. METHOD: Fourteen contributors were recruited following ethical approval. A three-step modified Delphi method was used for voting on 96 statements generated following literature consultation; 192 statements total (96/96 topical application/mouth rinsing). Round 1 contributors voted to "agree" or "disagree" with statements; 80% agreement was required to accept statements. In round 2, contributors voted to "support" or "change" their round 1 unaccepted statements, with knowledge of the extant voting from round 1. Round 3 contributors met to discuss voting against key remaining statements. RESULTS: Forty-seven statements reached consensus in round 1 (30/17 topical application/rinsing); 14 proved redundant. Six statements reached consensus in round 2 (2/4 topical application/rinsing); 116 statements proved redundant. Nine further statements were agreed in round 3 (6/3 topical application/rinsing) with caveats. DISCUSSION: Consensus was reached on 62 statements in total (38/24 topical application/rinsing), enabling the development of guidance on safe menthol administration, with a view to enhancing performance and perception in the heat without impairing body temperature regulation.

Non-pharmacological management of orthostatic hypotension after spinal cord injury: a critical review of the literature.

STUDY DESIGN: Review. OBJECTIVES: Identify and describe the body of literature pertaining to non-pharmacological management of orthostatic hypotension (OH) during the early rehabilitation of persons with a spinal cord injury (SCI). SETTING: Sunnaas Rehabilitation Hospital, Oslo, Norway. SEARCH STRATEGY: a comprehensive search of electronic databases and cited references was undertaken. SELECTION CRITERIA: case studies, parallel group trials and crossover designs using random or quasi-random assignments were considered. Participants with any level or degree of completeness of SCI and any time elapsed since injury were included. Interventions must have measured at least systolic blood pressure (BP), and have induced orthostatic stress in a controlled manner and have attempted to control OH during an orthostatic challenge. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: studies were selected, assessed and described qualitatively. Meta-analysis was deemed inappropriate. RESULTS: Four distinct non-pharmacological interventions for OH were identified: application of compression and pressure to the abdominal region and/or legs, upper body exercise, functional electrical stimulation (FES) applied to the legs and biofeedback. Methodological quality varied dramatically between studies. Compression/pressure, upper body exercise and biofeedback therapies have proven inconclusive in their ability to control OH. During orthostatic challenge, FES consistently attenuates the fall in BP; however, its clinical application is less well established. CONCLUSIONS: The clinical usefulness of compression/pressure, upper body exercise and biofeedback for treating OH has not been proven. FES of the legs holds the most promise.

An electronic database for outcome studies that includes digital radiographs.

We report on acquisition of key data from the clinical medical record, surgical data, radiologic studies, and patient surveys for a novel digital total hip arthroplasty (THA) registry that includes electronic capture of digital radiographic images into a database on an internet platform for query. We now have the ability to collect demographic and operative data, including the operative note, discharge summary, surgery data, and Digital Imaging Communications in Medicine (DICOM) radiology images. Steps are being completed to assemble office encounters, hospital procedural codes, and implant bar codes. Two examples include a THA surgery record and a THA outcome study with plain radiograph set. Analysis of such data could suggest ways to improve clinical practice.