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Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory use in the XV Pan-American Games (2007)
  1. E R Da Silva1,2,3,
  2. E H De Rose4,
  3. J P Ribeiro5,
  4. L B R Sampedro1,
  5. D V Devos1,
  6. A O Ferreira1,
  7. L F M Kruel1
  1. 1Grupo de Pesquisa em Atividades Aquáticas e Terrestres (GPAT), Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
  2. 2Laboratório do Movimento Humano, University of Caxias do Sul, Caxias do Sul, Brazil
  3. 3Faculdade Cenecista de Osório, Osório, Brazil
  4. 4Medical Committee of the Pan-American Sports Organization (PASO-MC), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
  5. 5Exercise Pathophysiology Research Laboratory and Cardiology Division, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil
  1. Correspondence to Eduardo Ramos Da Silva, Rua Leopoldo Bier, 461/1804 Santana, Porto Alegre RS 90620-100, Brazil; edurramos{at}gmail.com

Abstract

Background Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are frequently used in sports medicine to reduce time of incapacity.

Objective To describe the frequency of NSAIDs use by athletes in the XV Pan-American Games.

Methods All athletes who were tested by the anti-doping control filled a form. The voluntarily declared medications were recorded and categorised according to sport modality, sex, region and control situation according to the World Anti-Doping Agency.

Results Among the 1261 athletes tested (231 out-competition (OC) and 1030 in-competition (IC); 733 men and 528 women), 63% reported use of drugs, NSAIDs being the most frequently (64% of users) used medications. The use of medications was not significantly different between sexes or among different regions of the world. The number of users of only one type of NSAID was higher than those who used more than one type of NSAIDs or a combination with analgesics (335 vs 168 cases). IC reports presented higher use of NSAIDs than OC.

Conclusion Athletes tested by the anti-doping control of the XV Pan-American Games reported a high frequency of NSAIDs use. The frequent utilisation in competition suggests that these medications might be used as ergogenic aid.

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Footnotes

  • Competing interests None.

  • Ethics approval This study was conducted with the approval of the Medical Committee of the Pan-American Sports Organization.

  • Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; not externally peer reviewed