Thomas L. Cropper

Concurrent bilateral femoral neck stress fractures in a military recruit: a case report

BACKGROUND Stress fractures are overuse injuries that historically afflict a large number of military recruits, likely because of the sudden increase of high-intensity activity, such as running and marching. CASE A 23-year-old male U.S. Air Force recruit presented with hip pain during his second week of basic training and was diagnosed with bilateral femoral neck stress fractures, grade 4 on the right and grade 3 on the left. This is the first known case of concurrent bilateral femoral neck stress fractures in a U.S. military recruit reported in the medical literature. CONCLUSION This report describes a severe case of stress fracture in an individual with no readily identifiable risk factors.

Prevalence and Seroprevalence of Trypanosoma cruzi Infection in a Military Population in Texas

Abstract. Recent biosurveillance findings at Joint Base San Antonio (JBSA), a large military installation located in south-central Texas, indicate the potential for vector-borne human Chagas disease. A cross-sectional study was conducted to determine the prevalence and seroprevalence of Trypanosoma cruzi infection in highest risk subpopulations on the installation, including students and instructors who work and sleep in triatomine-endemic field settings. Real-time polymerase chain reaction, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and indirect immunofluorescent antibody assay were performed on enrolled subjects (N = 1,033), none of whom tested positive for T. cruzi or anti-T. cruzi antibodies. Current countermeasures used during field training on JBSA appear to be sufficient for preventing autochthonous human Chagas disease.

The Effects of Prenatal Vitamin Supplementation on Operationally Significant Health Outcomes in Female Air Force Trainees

OBJECTIVES A prenatal vitamin supplementation program for female basic military trainees at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland was initiated in June 2012 with the goals of decreasing attrition and improving performance. This project examined whether supplementation influences attrition rates, incidence of stress fractures and iron deficiency anemia, and physical performance. METHODS This was a cohort-based pilot study with an historical control group. Primary outcome measures included all-cause attrition, medical attrition, stress fractures, and iron deficiency anemia. RESULTS Incidence rates of all-cause attrition, medical attrition, stress fractures, and anemia were similar in both groups, although the lower medical attrition in the supplementation group approached statistical significance (risk ratio, 0.74; 95% confidence interval, 0.54-1.01). CONCLUSION Although this study found no statistical benefit, the operationally significant reduction in medical attrition of 26% suggests that providing prenatal vitamin supplementation to female basic trainees in the Air Force may be worthwhile.