Magnetic resonance imaging of athlete's heart: myocardial mass, left ventricular function, and cross-sectional area of the coronary arteries.

To evaluate left ventricular myocardial mass and function as well as ostial coronary artery cross-sectional area in endurance athletes, an athlete group of 12 highly trained rowers and a control group of 12 sedentary healthy subjects underwent MR examination. An ECG-gated breath-hold cine gradient-echo sequence was used to calculate myocardial mass, end-diastolic and end-systolic volumes, stroke volume, and cardiac output, all related to body surface area, as well as ejection fraction. A 3D fat-saturated ECG- and respiratory-triggered navigator echo sequence was used to evaluate coronary arteries: left main (LM), left anterior descending (LAD), left circumflex (LCx), and right coronary artery (RCA). Cross-sectional area was calculated and divided for body surface area. Myocardial mass was found significantly larger in athlete group than in control group (p = 0.0078), the same being for end-diastolic volume (p = 0.0078), stroke volume (p = 0.0055), LM (p = 0.0066) and LAD (p = 0.0129). No significant difference was found for all the remaining parameters. Significant correlation with myocardial mass was found for LM (p < 0.001) and LAD (p = 0.0340), not for LCx and RCA. Magnetic resonance imaging is a useful tool in evaluating the myocardial hypertrophy and function of athlete's heart. Magnetic resonance angiography is a valuable noninvasive method to visualize the correlated cross-sectional area increase of the left coronary artery system.

[Unilateral gynecomastia induced by the use of anabolic steroids. A clinical case report]. / Ginecomastia unilaterale indotta dall'uso di steroidi anabolizzanti. Descrizione di un caso clinico.

The authors studied a case of left unilateral gynecomastia occurring in a 26-year-old body-builder after anabolic steroids assumption. The mammal features were found by echography and mammography and they showed the presence of a 3 cm diameter retroareolar area of gland tissue surrounded by fibrotic tissue. After excluding every likely cause giving gynecomastia through laboratory tests, it was clear a relationship with the assumption of high doses of anabolic hormones, with particular regard to methyltestosterone. Therefore, also this substance which on its own is not aromatized by extrasplanchnic tissues, can be responsible for man's mammal hypertrophy, if joined to a slight iatrogenic liver cytolysis.

Comparison of pituitary responses to physical exercise in athletes and sedentary subjects.

Serum growth hormone (GH), prolactin (PRL), cortisol, luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels were evaluated before and after a bicycle ergometer exercise test in 8 male competitive volleyball players and in 8 sedentary healthy males of the same age. Increased serum GH and cortisol values after exercise in both groups were found, whereas an exercise-induced PRL release was observed in athletes only. Serum levels of LH, FSH and TSH were unaffected by the test in all subjects. A possible role of training in conditioning the hypothalamopituitary exercise-induced secretion is suggested.

[Effects and dangers of hyperventilation]. / Effetti e pericoli dell'iperventilazione.

As the notable danger of diving in breath-holding is mostly rapported to the preventive hyperventilation and the effects of such technique of breath, practically applied, are scarcely studied and known, the Author examines the effects of hyperventilation and its consequences on the next breath-holdings in surface and in depth.

[Blood coagulation processes in decompression sickness and hyperbaric therapy]. / Processi emocoagulativi nella malattia da decompressione e nel trattamento iperbarico.

The hyperaggregability of platelets is remarkably important in the pathogenesis of decompression sickness. The basis of this phenomenon might consist of an excessive production of metabolites of arachidonic acid (C 20:4) whose action favours aggregation (prostaglandin endoperoxides PGG2 and PGH2 and Tromboxane A2) in respect of the synthesis of its derivatives exerting an antithrombotic action (prostacyclin I2). The antiaggregating therapy usually associated to the hyperbaric treatment involves administration of acetylsalicylic acid in low doses (3.5-5 mg/kg every three days), associated if necessary to dypyridamol. As a prophylaxis against thrombotic phenomena in "risky" subjects, a congruous dietetic assumption of polyunsaturated fatty acids is recommended, such as linoleic acid (C 18:2) and eicosapentaenoic acid (C 20:5) which are forerunners of anti-aggregating prostaglandin derivates. Hyperbaric oxygenation might finally lead to the production of lypid peroxides apt to inhibit the synthesis of PGI2. In such cases it is a rational procedure to administer vitamin E in high doses, as physiological antioxidant of lypids.

[Physiopathology of fin swimming. II. Clinical data]. / Fisiopatologia del nuoto pinnato. Nota II: Rilievi clinici.

The Authors have carried out a comparative clinical study on the effects caused by the use of several types of fins: with short and soft propeller, long fiber propeller and monofin. The results achieved demonstrate that the use of short fins does not cause any pathogenic effect, while the incidence of inflammatory tendon injuries and of sciatica is remarkable in those persons who employ the other types of fins. Therefore the Authors believe that the use of long and rigid fins or of monofin must be interdict to young people at the age of development in order to avoid the establishment of permanent body's injuries.