Genetic basis of elite combat sports athletes: a systematic review

The aim of this systematic review was to analyse the studies centered on the effects of Olympic combat sports (OCS [i.e., boxing, fencing, judo, karate, taekwondo, wrestling]) on older adults’ physical-functional, physiological, and psychoemotional health status. The review comprised randomised-controlled trials with OCS interventions, including older adults (>60 years), and measures of physical-functional, physiological, and/or psychoemotional health. The studies were searched through SCOPUS, PubMed/MEDLINE, Web of Science, PsycINFO, and EBSCO databases until 5 January 2021. The PRISMA-P and TESTEX scales were used to assess the quality of the selected studies. The protocol was registered in PROSPERO (code: CRD42020204034). Twelve OCS intervention studies were found (scored ≥60% for methodological quality), comprising 392 females and 343 males (mean age: 69.6 years), participating in boxing, judo, karate, and taekwondo. The qualitative analysis revealed that compared to controls, OCS training improved muscle strength, cardiorespiratory capacity, agility, balance, movement, attention, memory, mental health, anxiety, and stress tolerance. Meta-analysis was available only for the chair stand test, and an improvement was noted after OCS training compared to control. In conclusion, OCS interventions improves older adults’ physical-functional, physiological, and psychoemotional health. Our systematic review confirms that OCS training has high adherence (greater than 80%) in older adults.

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Effectiveness of Olympic Combat Sports on Balance, Fall Risk or Falls in Older Adults: A Systematic Review

Biology ◽

10.3390/biology11010074 ◽

2022 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

pp. 74

Author(s):

Pablo Valdés-Badilla ◽

Rodrigo Ramirez-Campillo ◽

Tomás Herrera-Valenzuela ◽

Braulio Henrique Magnani Branco ◽

Eduardo Guzmán-Muñoz ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Older Adults ◽

Fall Risk ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Combat Sports ◽

High Quality ◽

Grade Scale ◽

Falls In Older Adults ◽

Final Manuscript ◽

Meta Analyses

This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to assess the available body of published peer-reviewed articles related to the effects of Olympic combat sports (OCS), compared with active/passive controls, on balance, fall risk, or falls in older adults. The TESTEX and GRADE scales assessed the methodological quality and certainty of the evidence. The protocol was registered in PROSPERO (code: CRD42020204034). From 1496 records, eight studies were included, involving 322 older adults (64% female; mean age = 71.1 years). The TESTEX scale revealed all studies with a score ≥ 60% (moderate-high quality). The GRADE scale indicated all studies with at least some concerns, up to a high risk of bias (i.e., was rated very low). Meta-analyses were planned, although the reduced number of studies precluded its incorporation in the final manuscript. Only two from six studies that assessed balance found improvements after OCS compared to controls. No differences were found between OCS vs. control groups for fall risk or falls. The available evidence does not allow a definitive recommendation for or against OCS interventions as an effective strategy to improve balance and reduce the fall risk or falls in older adults. Therefore, more high-quality studies are required to draw definitive conclusions.

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Genetic and Epigenetic Factors of Takotsubo Syndrome: A Systematic Review

International Journal of Molecular Sciences ◽

10.3390/ijms22189875 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 22 (18) ◽

pp. 9875

Author(s):

Valentina Ferradini ◽

Davide Vacca ◽

Beatrice Belmonte ◽

Ruggiero Mango ◽

Letizia Scola ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Genetic Basis ◽

Left Ventricular ◽

Takotsubo Syndrome ◽

Epigenetic Factors ◽

Complete Knowledge ◽

Apical Balloon Syndrome ◽

First Time ◽

Comprehensive Characterization

Takotsubo syndrome (TTS), recognized as stress’s cardiomyopathy, or as left ventricular apical balloon syndrome in recent years, is a rare pathology, described for the first time by Japanese researchers in 1990. TTS is characterized by an interindividual heterogeneity in onset and progression, and by strong predominance in postmenopausal women. The clear causes of these TTS features are uncertain, given the limited understanding of this intriguing syndrome until now. However, the increasing frequency of TTS cases in recent years, and particularly correlated to the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, leads us to the imperative necessity both of a complete knowledge of TTS pathophysiology for identifying biomarkers facilitating its management, and of targets for specific and effective treatments. The suspect of a genetic basis in TTS pathogenesis has been evidenced. Accordingly, familial forms of TTS have been described. However, a systematic and comprehensive characterization of the genetic or epigenetic factors significantly associated with TTS is lacking. Thus, we here conducted a systematic review of the literature before June 2021, to contribute to the identification of potential genetic and epigenetic factors associated with TTS. Interesting data were evidenced, but few in number and with diverse limitations. Consequently, we concluded that further work is needed to address the gaps discussed, and clear evidence may arrive by using multi-omics investigations.

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Effects of Olympic Combat Sports on Health-Related Quality of Life in Middle-Aged and Older People: A Systematic Review

Frontiers in Psychology ◽

10.3389/fpsyg.2021.797537 ◽

2022 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

Author(s):

Pablo Valdés-Badilla ◽

Tomás Herrera-Valenzuela ◽

Eduardo Guzmán-Muñoz ◽

Pedro Delgado-Floody ◽

Cristian Núñez-Espinosa ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Systematic Review ◽

Older People ◽

Well Being ◽

Combat Sports ◽

Health Related Quality ◽

Middle Aged ◽

Related Quality ◽

Health Related

Olympic combat sports are unconventional physical activity strategies to train middle-aged and older people with and without health problems. This systematic review aimed to assess the available body of published peer-reviewed articles related to the effects of Olympic combat sports interventions (boxing, fencing, judo, karate, taekwondo, wrestling) on health-related quality of life in adults aged 45 and older. The search was carried out in five generic databases until July 2021 and the protocol was registered in PROSPERO (code: CRD42021244161). The PRISMA guidelines were followed and the Downs and Black checklist was used to assessed the methodological quality of the studies. After reviewing 1,151 records, only seven studies met the inclusion criteria, adding 212 participants (43.4% female) with a mean age of 63.7 years. Six studies (two with middle-aged participants and four with older people) provided data to calculate the effect size (ES) in the Olympic combat sports groups (No research that used taekwondo or wrestling as an intervention modality was found). Three studies reported beneficial changes with a small ES for the total score (d < 0.40) of the health-related quality of life. Two studies reported a beneficial change with a small ES (d = 0.49) and strong ES (d = 4.45) for physical health. One study reported improvements with a small ES for emotional (d = 0.23) and functional (d = 0.26) well-being. In conclusion, interventions based on Olympic combat sports produce beneficial effects with a small and moderate ES on health-related quality of life in male and female aged 45 and older who are healthy participants, participants with Parkinson's disease, and participants with breast cancer.Systematic Review Registration:https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/, PROSPERO: CRD42021244161.

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EFFECTS OF COMBAT SPORTS ON BONE MASS: SYSTEMATIC REVIEW

Revista Brasileira de Medicina do Esporte ◽

10.1590/1517-869220192503163185 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 25 (3) ◽

pp. 240-244

Author(s):

Camila Justino de Oliveira Barbeta ◽

Tathyane Krahenbühl ◽

Ezequiel Moreira Gonçalves ◽

Gil Guerra-Júnior

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Bone Mass ◽

Calorie Intake ◽

Elderly Subjects ◽

Combat Sports ◽

Mineral Contents ◽

Level Of Evidence ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Kung Fu ◽

Therapeutic Study

ABSTRACT Objective To determine the influence of combat sports on bone mass. Methods A systematic review was performed according to the PRISMA method, with searches in the Pubmed, Bireme, Embase and Web of Science databases covering the period 1900 to 2015, using the keywords “martial arts”, “fight”, “combat”, “karate”, “kung fu”, “tae kwon do”, “judo”, “aikido”, “bone mass”, “bone health”, “bone tissue”, “bone density”, and “bone mineral contents”. The articles were searched for and retrieved electronically and manually, by two independent reviewers. Results Seventy-nine articles were identified, of which 25 were duplicates, leaving 54 for reading and evaluation of the titles; next, articles about diseases such as bone and/or orthopedic injuries, maxillofacial, surgeries, fractures, osteoporosis and osteopenia in women, prevention of falls, and physical fitness were excluded, leaving 15 articles. Of the articles selected and retrieved in full, all were published between 2002 and 2015. One article was a case control study; two were longitudinal studies, two were randomized studies; and 10 were cross-sectional studies. A total of 1368 children, adolescents, adults and elderly subjects were involved in combat sports and had bone evaluation by imaging. Factors such as calorie intake, calcium and/or vitamin D, intensity and volume of the exercise, hormonal aspects as bone markers, and characteristics of menopause are not conclusive in relation to bone mass, and further studies are needed. Conclusion The practice of combat sports shows a significant improvement in bone mass at all ages. Level of Evidence III, Therapeutic study – Investigation of treatment results.

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