The Female Athlete Triad

摘要

The female athlete triad is a spectrum of interrelated pathophysiologic consequences of low energy availabili- ty, menstrual dysfunction, and low bone mineral density. Components of the triad are not only counterproductive to athletic performance goals, but can lead to serious long- term negative health outcomes. Practitioners caring for female athletes play an important role detecting at-risk athletes early in their course along the disease spectrum. Importantly, women who are evaluated for one compo- nent of the triad should always be screened for the other two. Detecting the disorder early is the most important factor for preventing the potentially severe consequenc- es, and requires heightened vigilance on the part of all those who work with this special patient population. In this article, we discuss the epidemiology, pathophysiolo- gy, diagnosis, evaluation, and management of the female athlete triad.