Aortic root dilation beyond specific thresholds (>40 mm in men, >34 mm in women) in athletes is likely pathological rather than physiological, mandating clinical surveillance.
May prompt surveillance for pathology in athletes with enlarged roots; leaves open prospective validation of thresholds.
An aortic root dimension >40 mm in highly conditioned male athletes (and >34 mm in female athletes) is uncommon, is unlikely to represent the physiological consequence of exercise training, and is most likely an expression of a pathological condition, mandating close clinical surveillance.
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Pelliccia et al. (2010) studied this question.
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