Actual aspects of sports nutrition in children

The article highlights the modern problems of nutrition for junior athletes. The authors outline the role of the nutritional plan as an integral part of sports training, as well as a factor in the healthy growth and development of a young athlete. They describe the features of the nutritional status of athletes. The article notes the need for educational programs in the field of balanced nutrition, the use of nutritional supplements and sports products among junior athletes.

543 Paroxysmal atrial fibrillation in a young athlete: the importance of knowing the electrophysiological mechanism

Aims Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most commonly sustained cardiac arrhythmia encountered in clinical practice. The prevalence of arrhythmia increases with age. However, paroxysmal AF can also arise in young or middle-aged individuals or otherwise healthy athletes. Electrical isolation of the pulmonary veins is the approach recommended by the guidelines for the ablative treatment of patients with symptomatic AF, although the risks associated with the procedure are not yet negligible. However, in order to increase the risk/benefit ratio of any ablation, it may be important to better define the electrophysiological mechanism underlying the arrhythmia. This could help plan a safer and more effective therapeutic approach, especially in young patients and/or patients with a structurally healthy heart and a prolonged history of paroxysmal AF. Methods and results We report the case of a 19-year-old basketball player who is strongly symptomatic for palpitations due to AF episodes. The electrophysiological study revealed the true mechanism underlying AF episodes: degeneration into AF of an atrial tachycardia (AT) originating from the right atrium lateral wall. Once the ectopic focus of AT had been ablated, the patient remained totally asymptomatic at the 4-year follow-up. Conclusions This case underlines the importance of the concept that young subjects with ‘lone AF’, in the absence of structural heart disease, may have different mechanisms underlying the arrhythmic phenomenon. In our case, the electrophysiological study enabled us to reconstruct the electrogenic mechanism at the base of the arrhythmia, allowing us to carry out a safe and effective therapy.

596 Multidisciplinary in-depth investigation in a young athlete suffering from syncope caused by myocardial bridge

Aims Laboratory medicine along with genetic investigations are taking on an increasingly important role in monitoring athlete’s health conditions. Acute or intense exercise can lead to metabolic imbalances, muscle injuries, or can point up cardiovascular disorders. Methods and results This study aimed to monitor the health status of a basketball player, through an integrated approach including biochemical and genetic investigations and advanced imaging techniques, to shed light on the causes of recurrent syncope he experienced during exercise. Biochemical analyses showed that the athlete had abnormal iron, ferritin, and bilirubin levels. Coronary computed tomographic angiography highlighted the presence of an intramyocardial bridge, suggesting this may be the cause of the observed syncopes. The athlete was excluded from competitive activity. To understand if this cardiac malformation could be caused by an inherited genetic condition, both array-CGH and whole exome sequencing were performed. Array-CGH showed two intronic deletions involving MACROD2 and COMMD10 genes, which could be related to the congenital heart defect; the whole exome sequencing highlighted the genotype compatible with the Gilbert syndrome. However, no clear pathogenic mutations related to the patient’s cardiological phenotype were detected, even after applying machine learning methods. Conclusions This case highlights the importance and the need to provide exhaustive personalized diagnostic work-up for the athletes to cover the cause of their malaise, safeguarding their health. This multidisciplinary approach can be useful to create ad personam training and treatments, thus avoiding the appearance of diseases and injuries which, if underestimated, can become irreversible disorders and sometimes can lead to the death of the athlete.

Multidisciplinary In-Depth Investigation in a Young Athlete Suffering from Syncope Caused by Myocardial Bridge

Laboratory medicine, along with genetic investigations in sports medicine, is taking on an increasingly important role in monitoring athletes’ health conditions. Acute or intense exercise can result in metabolic imbalances, muscle injuries or reveal cardiovascular disorders. This study aimed to monitor the health status of a basketball player with an integrated approach, including biochemical and genetic investigations and advanced imaging techniques, to shed light on the causes of recurrent syncope he experienced during exercise. Biochemical analyses showed that the athlete had abnormal iron, ferritin and bilirubin levels. Coronary Computed Tomographic Angiography highlighted the presence of an intramyocardial bridge, suggesting this may be the cause of the observed syncopes. The athlete was excluded from competitive activity. In order to understand if this cardiac malformation could be caused by an inherited genetic condition, both array-CGH and whole exome sequencing were performed. Array-CGH showed two intronic deletions involving MACROD2 and COMMD10 genes, which could be related to a congenital heart defect; whole exome sequencing highlighted the genotype compatible with Gilbert syndrome. However, no clear pathogenic mutations related to the patient’s cardiological phenotype were detected, even after applying machine learning methods. This case report highlights the importance and the need to provide exhaustive personalized diagnostic work up for the athletes in order to cover the cause of their malaise and for safeguarding their health. This multidisciplinary approach can be useful to create ad personam training and treatments, thus avoiding the appearance of diseases and injuries which, if underestimated, can become irreversible disorders and sometimes can result in the death of the athlete.

Exploring the use of the Psychological Characteristics of Developing Excellence (PCDEs) in younger age groups: First steps in the validation process of the PCDE Questionnaire for Children (PCDEQ-C)

Athletes who want to benefit most optimally and efficient from the Talent Development (TD) pathway, should start developing their psychological characteristics at a young age. The Psychological Characteristics Developing Excellence Questionnaire–Version 2 (PCDEQ2) can provide a full assessment of the mental characteristics athletes need. However, the PCDEQ2 has only been validated in adolescent athletes and as a consequence its does not contribute to the understanding of these psychological skills in a younger age group. The main purpose of this study was to take a first step in examining the factor structure and reliability of the Psychological Characteristics of Developing Excellence Questionnaire for Children (PCDEQ-C), a questionnaire based on the PCDEQ– 2. Firstly, the original questionnaire was translated to Dutch, age-adapted and redesigned for implementation in young athletes. Secondly, 774 participants (400 girls) from Flanders, Belgium, between 7 and 13 years (mean age of 10.61 ± 1.58) old filled out the questionnaire. After exploratory factor analysis, a new factor structure for the PCDEQ-C deemed an acceptable fit with 51 items in 5 factors. In the third stage, the reliability showed a good overall and internal consistency, with adequate relations between factors. The first steps in the validation process of the PCDEQ-C, suggest that this questionnaire could be a useful and reliable tool to assess the developmental psychological characteristics of 7-to-13-year-old athletes. The questionnaire is one of the first formative assessment tools to monitor and develop the psychological characteristics needed during the earliest talent development stages of a young athlete.

ISOLATED HYPOPLASIA OF THE RIGHT CORONARY ARTERY IN A YOUNG ATHLETE: A CASE REPORT AND LITERATURE REVIEW

A unique clinical observation of the intravital diagnosis of hypoplasia of the right coronary artery in the young professional athlete is presented. This observation demonstrates the importance of carrying out stress tests during the dispensary examination of athletes, as well as modern methods of diagnosis of pathology of coronary arteries.

MARKETING NO FUTEBOL: UM RELATO DO MARKETING PESSOAL DO LATERAL ZECA

To think of sports in Brazil is to think of soccer. A passion that connects thousands of Brazilians, regardless of race, age or sex. A soccer team is not just a team, because the players that make it up become great myths and heroes in the eyes of the general public. The image of the athlete creates an identity for both the club and the fans, yielding big contracts and personality references. In this sense, this article explores this personal marketing scenario, of left winger José Carlos Cracco Neto, better known as Zeca. The young athlete, 23 years old, is a reference in the position and was a starter in the Brazilian team in the conquest of the unprecedented title of the 2016 Rio Olympics. Thus, this paper is built from concepts established by authors related to the theme, supported by three interviews: the athlete under study, as the main source, along with the marketing professionals Alex Fernandes, coordinator of Institutional partnerships of Santos Futebol Clube and Vinicius de Paula, marketing manager of the São Paulo country club, Mirassol F.C