Exercise echocardiography showed that 96% of grey-zone athletes increased LVEF by >11% from baseline to peak exercise compared to only 23% of DCM patients (p<0.0001).
Cohort (n=84)
No
Does a cascade of investigations, including exercise stress echocardiography, differentiate between physiological LV dilatation in athletes and early dilated cardiomyopathy?
Exercise stress echocardiography, specifically the inability to increase LVEF >11% or achieve a peak LVEF >63%, provides the greatest discriminatory value in differentiating physiological LV dilatation in athletes from early dilated cardiomyopathy.
Effect estimate: null (95% CI null)
Absolute Event Rate: 17.7% vs 13.1%
p-value: p=<0.0001
Objective Distinguishing early dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) from physiological left ventricular (LV) dilatation with LV ejection fraction 11% from baseline to peak exercise compared with 23% of patients with DCM (p63% in 92% grey-zone athletes compared with 17% patients with DCM (p11% from baseline to peak exercise or achieve a peak LV ejection fraction >63% had sensitivity of 77% and 83%, respectively, and specificity of 96% and 92%, respectively, for predicting DCM. Conclusion Comprehensive assessment using a cascade of routine investigations revealed that exercise stress echocardiography has the greatest discriminatory value in differentiating between grey-zone athletes and asymptomatic patients with DCM. Our findings require validation in larger studies.
Millar et al. (Mon,) conducted a cohort in Dilated cardiomyopathy and athlete’s heart differentiation (n=84). Exercise echocardiography vs. Control athletes was evaluated on Change in left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) from baseline to peak exercise (null, 95% CI null, p=<0.0001). Exercise echocardiography showed that 96% of grey-zone athletes increased LVEF by >11% from baseline to peak exercise compared to only 23% of DCM patients (p<0.0001).