Low back pain (LBP) is a common symptom in the populations of western countries, and adolescent athletes seem to be prone to LBP. The main objective of this study was to analyze the point (LBP within the last 48 h), 1-year (LBP within the last 12 months) and lifetime (LBP within the entire life) prevalence rates of LBP in adolescent athletes participating in various sports. We also assessed the characteristics of LBP and its association with potential risk factors. To this end, 272 competitive adolescent athletes involved in 31 different sports (158 males, 113 females, 15.4 ± 2.0 years, body mass index [BMI] 20.3 ± 2.4 kg/m(2)) were enrolled in a 10-month prospective clinical trial that included a questionnaire and physical examination. We found a point prevalence of 14%, a 1-year prevalence of 57%, and a lifetime prevalence of 66% for LBP. The mean age of first appearance of LBP was 13.1 ± 2.0 years. The lifetime prevalence was significantly higher in volleyball than in biathletes (74.3 vs. 45.7%, p = 0.015). Our findings confirm that LBP is a common symptom in adolescent athletes; LBP prevalence correlates with sports participation and individual competitive level. Adolescent athletes with LBP should receive a thorough diagnostic work-up and adapt training and technique correspondingly when indicated.

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Introduction The sagittal profile of conventionally and surgically treated scoliotic spines is usually analyzed via lateral views of whole-spine X-rays in an upright position. Due to a more hypokyphotic configuration of scoliotic spines, the view onto the upper thoracic vertebrae is often difficult. We investigated whether additional supine MRI measurement supports valid kyphosis angle measurement. Patients and methods Twenty patients with either short (n = 10, Halm-Zielke, VDS) or long spondylodesis (n = 10, dorsoventral) were assessed 5 years after surgery with standing radiographs and supine whole-spine MRI. Results Up to 90% of the upper thoracic vertebrae were invisible on radiographs, whereas MRI allowed visibility of almost many vertebrae. No significant difference in thoracal kyphosis angles could be observed in the comparison of X-ray and MRI data. Conclusion Thoracal kyphosis measurement of postoperative spines in MRI is a valid diagnostic tool with reliability comparable to that of X-ray. These results cannot be transferred to lumbar lordosis measurement and transferred only partly to coronal COBB angle measurement.

Incompatibility reactions due to hydroxyethyl starch (HES) were observed during 8 out of 10,273 infusions of 500 ml 6% HES (Plasmasteril®). The clinical symptoms ranged from skin reactions to tachycardia, hypotension and shock. In 3 of the 8 patients with incompatibility serum immunoglobulin concentrations were reduced after the anaphylactoid reaction. Specific antibodies against HES were, however, not detected. Serum IgE levels stayed within their normal limits. Positive reactions of the immediate type to intradermal skin tests with different dilutions of Plasmasteril were obtained in five patients.