Liver Function Test Results Correlate With Spleen Size in Patients With Infectious Mononucleosis.

Introduction: We aimed to evaluate the efficacy of measuring transaminase levels to determine the resolution of splenomegaly in athletes diagnosed with infectious mononucleosis (IM).

Methods: We collected serial aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine transaminase (ALT) levels and ultrasound-measured spleen sizes in university athletes who had been diagnosed with IM. Our study included seven university-aged athletes from a single institution.

Classification of Premature Ventricular Contractions in Athletes During Routine Preparticipation Exams.

Background: Large-scale data on incidental premature ventricular contraction (PVC) prevalence and morphologies have been lacking, leaving many providers without guidance on further cardiac testing for patients with incidental PVCs on ECG. Athletes offer an intriguing cohort to understand the clinical significance, prevalence, and common morphologies of incidental PVCs because they often undergo ECG screening during preparticipation exams.

Methods: Digital ECGs were obtained from 10 728 screened athletes aged 14 to 35 years during mass screenings in schools and professional sports teams between 2014 and 2021.

Diagnosis of Sports-Related Concussion Using Symptom Report or Standardized Assessment of Concussion.

Importance: The Sports Concussion Assessment Tool-5 (SCAT5) has been recommended for concussion evaluation and utilizes both a subjective reported symptom grading scale and objective measures of concussion including a cognitive evaluation: the Standardized Assessment of Concussion (SAC). The SAC includes testing for orientation, immediate memory, concentration, and delayed recall; a 10-word list is used to assess immediate memory and delayed recall.

Objective: To determine the diagnostic accuracy of components of the SCAT5 and to provide a framework for clinical interpretation.

Training Background and Demographic Characteristics of Primary Care Team Physicians in Professional Sports.

Background: Previous studies have shown that most professional head and orthopaedic team physicians are men, and most orthopaedic team physicians are fellowship-trained. It is unknown whether this holds true for primary care team physicians.

Purpose: To evaluate the residency and fellowship training background as well as the demographic characteristics of primary care team physicians in professional sports.

Emergency Facial Injuries in Athletics.

Dental and oral injuries are a common occurrence in sport. Initial evaluation should always begin with an assessment of the patient's airway, breathing, circulation, as well as identification of associated injuries. Tooth avulsions are the only true dental emergency.

American Medical Society of Sports Medicine Position Statement: Mononucleosis and Athletic Participation.

Infectious mononucleosis (IM) is a common illness in children and young adults caused primarily by the Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV). Transmission occurs primarily through sharing oral secretions, thus IM is known as the "kissing disease." Common clinical manifestations include fever, pharyngitis, posterior cervical lymphadenopathy, and splenomegaly.

Premature ventricular contractions (PVCs) in young athletes.

There is a growing body of literature focusing on the morphology, management, and outcomes of PVCs in athletes. This review summarizes this literature and establishes recommendations on management, treatment, and indications for specialist referral in this patient population. The sports medicine physician's responses and recommendation should be made in conjunction with the athletes wishes.

Prevalence of Positive Rapid Antigen Tests After 7-Day Isolation Following SARS-CoV-2 Infection in College Athletes During Omicron Variant Predominance.

Importance: The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shortened the recommended isolation period for SARS-CoV-2 infection from 10 days to 5 days in December 2021. It is unknown whether an individual with the infection may still have a positive result to a rapid antigen test and potentially be contagious at the end of this shortened isolation period.

Objective: To estimate the proportion of individuals with SARS-CoV-2 infection whose rapid antigen test is still positive starting 7 days postdiagnosis.

Use of Monospot Testing in the Diagnosis of Infectious Mononucleosis in the Collegiate Student-Athlete Population.

Objective: To determine the utility of monospot testing in the diagnosis of mononucleosis in the collegiate student-athlete clinical setting.

Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Setting: National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I sports medicine clinic.

Increased Risk of ACL Injury for Female but Not Male Soccer Players on Artificial Turf Versus Natural Grass: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background: Both natural grass (NG) and artificial turf (AT) are popular playing surfaces for soccer. Biomechanical studies have found increased frictional forces on AT that may lead to anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury. The increased risk of ACL injury during soccer in female participants may amplify this effect.

Patients Who Return to Sport After Primary Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction Have Significantly Higher Psychological Readiness: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of 3744 Patients.

Background: Although objective outcomes assessing knee function are essential measurements for return to sport, psychological factors have become increasingly recognized as equally important parameters for determining an athlete's ability to return to sport after surgery.

Purpose: To systematically review the literature to determine whether patients who returned to sport after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction had improved psychological scores (as measured with validated questionnaires) compared with patients who did not return to sport.

Study Design: Systematic review and meta-analysis; Level of evidence, 3.

Accuracy of Rapid Antigen vs Reverse Transcriptase-Polymerase Chain Reaction Testing for SARS-CoV-2 Infection in College Athletes During Prevalence of the Omicron Variant.

This case series evaluates the performance of rapid antigen tests in detecting SARS-CoV-2 infection in college athletes during prevalence of a dominant Omicron variant.

Factors Associated With a Prolonged Time to Return to Play After a Concussion.

Background: Prognosticating recovery times for individual athletes with a concussion remains a challenge for health care providers. Several preinjury and postinjury factors have been proposed to be predictive of prolonged return-to-play (RTP) times, but the data in this area are still sparse.

Purposes: This study aimed to identify risk factors associated with prolonged recovery times and determine which are most predictive of prolonged recovery times in a head-to-head comparison.

Comparison of SARS-CoV-2 Test Positivity in NCAA Division I Student Athletes vs Nonathletes at 12 Institutions.

Importance: The COVID-19 pandemic initially led to the abrupt shutdown of collegiate athletics until guidelines were established for a safe return to play for student athletes. Currently, no literature exists that examines the difference in SARS-CoV-2 test positivity between student athletes and nonathletes at universities across the country.

Objective: To identify the difference in risk of COVID-19 infection between student athlete and nonathlete student populations and evaluate the hypothesis that student athletes may display increased SARS-CoV-2 test positivity associated with increased travel, competition, and testing compared with nonathletes at their respective universities.

Increased Lower Extremity Injury Risk Associated With Player Load and Distance in Collegiate Women's Soccer.

Background: There is limited research regarding the impact of workload on injury risk specific to women's soccer. Wearable global positioning system (GPS) units can track workload metrics such as total distance traveled and player load during games and training sessions. These metrics can be useful in predicting injury risk.

Findings From Cardiovascular Evaluation of National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Collegiate Student-Athletes After Asymptomatic or Mildly Symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 Infection.

Objective: The risk of myocardial damage after severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection has been controversial. The purpose of this study is to report the incidence of abnormal cardiovascular findings in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I student-athletes with a history of SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Design: This is a case series of student-athletes with SARS-CoV-2 infection and their subsequent cardiac work-up, including troponin level, electrocardiogram, and echocardiogram.

Adenovirus Infection and Rhabdomyolysis as a Cause of Acute Liver Failure in a Healthy Collegiate Football Athlete: A Case Report and Proposed Return to Play Protocol for Rhabdomyolysis.

Adenovirus is a common cause of upper respiratory and gastrointestinal tract infections. Though cases of significant organ failure and death have been reported in young children and immunocompromised individuals, adenovirus infections in healthy individuals are typically self-limiting without significant morbidity or mortality. Exertional rhabdomyolysis is a pathologic condition resulting from repetitive, excessive, or prolonged exercise, often in a hot environment, leading to acute muscle injury, renal injury and, rarely, death.

High Specialization among Female Youth Soccer Players Is Associated with an Increased Likelihood of Serious Injury.

Purpose: This study aimed to assess the associations between serious injury (≥3-month time loss) and level of specialization among high-level female soccer players and to compare the specialization and college commitment ages of female youth soccer players to Division I college and professional soccer athletes.

Methods: Youth, college, and professional female soccer players in the United States playing in the top league at each level were recruited to complete an anonymous online survey. The survey collected information about player demographics, soccer specialization and training patterns, history of serious injuries from soccer, and perceptions surrounding soccer specialization.

Recommended Musculoskeletal and Sports Medicine Model Curriculum for Emergency Medicine Residency Training.

Musculoskeletal and sports medicine conditions are common in the emergency department (ED). Emergency physicians may not be receiving adequate education to achieve clinical competency in musculoskeletal medicine during residency training. This article aims to provide a standardized musculoskeletal and sports medicine curriculum for emergency medicine training.

Calculated decisions: Ottawa Knee Rule.

The Ottawa knee rule describes criteria for knee trauma patients who are at low risk for clinically significant fracture and do not warrant knee imaging.

Calculated decisions: Ottawa ankle rule.

The Ottawa ankle rule shows the areas of tenderness to be evaluated in ankle trauma patients to determine the need for imaging.

Comparison of cardiovascular screening in college athletes by history and physical examination with and without an electrocardiogram: Efficacy and cost.

Background: Preparticipation screening for conditions associated with sudden cardiac death (SCD) is required in college athletes. Previous cost analyses used theoretical models based on variable assumptions, but no study used real-life outcomes.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to compare disease prevalence, positive findings, and costs of 2 different screening strategies: history and physical examination alone (H&P) or with an electrocardiogram (H&P+ECG).