ABSTRACT
There are relatively few studies on female athletes examining cardiac size and function and how these measures relate to maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max). When determining sports eligibility, it is important to know what physiological adaptations and characteristics may be expected in female athletes, taking body and cardiac size into account. The purposes of this study were (a) to compare right and left heart dimensions and function in female endurance athletes (ATH) and in non-athletic female controls of similar age (CON); and (b) to explore how these measures related to VO2max. Forty-six ATH and 48 CON underwent a maximal bicycle exercise test and an echocardiographic examination at rest, including standard and color tissue Doppler investigation. All heart dimensions indexed for body size were larger in ATH (all P < 0.01). The diastolic mitral E/A ratio was 27% higher in ATH (P < 0.001) while systolic left and right atrio-ventricular longitudinal displacement was 7% (P = 0.002) and 15% (P < 0.001) larger in ATH, respectively. Half (50.3%) of the variability in VO2max could be explained by left ventricular end-diastolic volume. Our results could be useful in evaluating female endurance athletes with suspected cardiac disease and contribute to understanding differences between female athletes and non-athletes.
Subject(s)
Adaptation, Physiological/physiology , Athletes , Diastole/physiology , Heart/physiology , Oxygen Consumption/physiology , Systole/physiology , Adolescent , Adult , Atrial Function/physiology , Case-Control Studies , Echocardiography , Echocardiography, Doppler, Color , Exercise Test , Female , Humans , Ventricular Function/physiology , Young AdultABSTRACT
The decrease of tuberculotic diseases was continuous in the past years. This statement relates to pulmonalis as well as to extrapulmonalis tbc. The authors want to call attention to the possibility of the varied and more rarely appearing extrapulmonalis manifestation. In the first of their cases the burst of spondylitis tbc, and in the other one the very rare spleen tbc--which was made probably clinicum and later by the US abdomen examination--caused differential diagnostic problem.
Subject(s)
Tuberculosis, Spinal/diagnostic imaging , Tuberculosis, Splenic/diagnostic imaging , Abscess/diagnostic imaging , Abscess/etiology , Abscess/surgery , Adult , Antitubercular Agents/therapeutic use , Diagnosis, Differential , Drug Therapy, Combination , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Retroperitoneal Space/diagnostic imaging , Retroperitoneal Space/surgery , Tuberculosis, Spinal/complications , Tuberculosis, Spinal/surgery , Tuberculosis, Splenic/drug therapy , UltrasonographyABSTRACT
The case of a 52-year-old woman with congenital cyclo-oxygenase deficiency, signs of generalized atherosclerosis and a moderate bleeding tendency is reported. Secondary platelet aggregation was absent. Platelet aggregation induced by arachidonic acid failed totally while that induced by calcium ionophore was normal. No malondialdehyde formation could be detected in her platelet-rich-plasma. The life-long deficiency of cyclo-oxygenase had not protected her from progressive vascular disease. This case suggests that the chronic intake of large doses of aspirin cannot prevent arterial disorders.
