Elite veteran athletes had significantly elevated plasma PICP (259 vs 166 microg/l, p<0.001) compared to sedentary controls, providing biochemical evidence of myocardial fibrosis.
Case-Control (n=90)
No
Does long-term endurance exercise lead to biochemical evidence of myocardial fibrosis in veteran athletes?
Veteran endurance athletes exhibit elevated biochemical markers of collagen synthesis and degradation, suggesting myocardial fibrosis may occur as part of exercise-induced left ventricular hypertrophy.
Absolute Event Rate: 259% vs 166%
p-value: p=<0.001
BACKGROUND: Studies on exercise-induced left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) in veteran athletes suggest the presence of abnormal diastolic filling and incomplete regression of LVH on cessation of exercise. HYPOTHESIS: Myocardial fibrosis occurs in exercise induced LVH in veteran athletes. AIM: To document non-invasively the presence of fibrosis in veteran athletes DESIGN: Prospective case-control study. SETTING: City centre district general hospital. PARTICIPANTS: 45 normotensive elite veteran athletes and 45 normal sedentary subjects. INTERVENTIONS: Echocardiographic assessment was made of LV mass, LV systolic and LV diastolic function. Plasma carboxyterminal propeptide of collagen type I (PICP), carboxyterminal telopeptide of collagen type I (CITP) and tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase type I (TIMP-1) were measured as markers of collagen synthesis, degradation and inhibition of degradation, respectively. RESULTS: Veteran athletes had significant elevation in LV dimensions and calculated LV mass index (LVMI). Diastolic and systolic function was normal. Plasma PICP (259 vs 166 microg/l, p130 g/m(2) (417 vs 266 ng/ml, p = 0.02). CONCLUSION: There is biochemical evidence of disruption of the collagen equilibrium favouring fibrosis in veteran athletes with LVH. This may suggest that fibrosis occurs as part of the hypertrophic process in veteran athletes.
Lindsay et al. (Tue,) conducted a case-control in Myocardial fibrosis and exercise-induced left ventricular hypertrophy (n=90). Elite veteran athlete status vs. Normal sedentary subjects was evaluated on Plasma carboxyterminal propeptide of collagen type I (PICP) (p=<0.001). Elite veteran athletes had significantly elevated plasma PICP (259 vs 166 microg/l, p<0.001) compared to sedentary controls, providing biochemical evidence of myocardial fibrosis.
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