title: Female athletes and menstrual disorders: a pilot study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There is a greater incidence of menstrual disorders in female athletes than in their sedentary counterparts. The menstrual disorder is reported in female athletes suffering from athletic triad syndrome, while few data in those free of this syndrome are available. The study aims to ascertain the presence of menstrual disorders and the eventual relationship with myocardial performance in female athletes practicing different sports.
  
  
  METHODS
  A sample of 64 subjects aged 18.5±2 was selected and divided into 3 groups (37 subjects practicing rhythmic gymnastics, 11 swimmers, and 16 volleyball players). All underwent echocardiography, biompendance analysis, and answered a questionnaire.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All anthropometrics parameters were normal. Few athletes reported menstrual disorders. No association between the presence of menstrual disorders and BMI. All echo results were within the normal range. Cardiac Mass Index (CMI) was normal for all athletes despite in swimmers significantly higher values (90.64±14.9 g/m2) compared to the volleyball players (78.25±14.0 g/m2; p<.04) and rhythmic gymnasts (77.89±13.4 g/m2; p<.009) were found.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Despite menstrual disorders are represented among female athletes, the eventual relationship with the sport practiced is not so evident. Questionnaire should be used to identify menstrual disorders in non-elite athletically active females.
authors.affiliation: Sports Medicine Center, Clinical and Experimental Department, Florence, Italy.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Stefani
authors.affiliation: Sports Medicine Center, Clinical and Experimental Department, Florence, Italy.
authors.forename: Giorgio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Galanti
authors.affiliation: Sports Medicine Center, Clinical and Experimental Department, Florence, Italy.
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lorini
authors.affiliation: Child and Woman Health Department, University of Florence, Italy.
authors.forename: Giada
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Beni
authors.affiliation: Child and Woman Health Department, University of Florence, Italy.
authors.forename: Metella
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dei
authors.affiliation: Department of Musculoskeletal Disorders Faculty of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry, University of Salerno, Salerno, Italy; Centre for Sports and Exercise Medicine Barts and London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK.
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Maffulli
keywords: body composition; female athletes; menstrual disorder