Key result
Professional jockeys show significant cardiac adaptations including a ~36% larger LVEDVi versus the general population.
Why the study?
The cardiovascular changes resulting from the intense physical demands of thoroughbred racing remained unexplored in Australian jockeys.
Does professional jockeying alter cardiac structure and function compared to the general population?
Cross-Sectional (n=79)
No
Does professional jockeying alter cardiac structure and function compared to the general population?
Absolute Event Rate: 78% vs 57.5%
p-value: p=<0.001
Professional jockeys exhibit significant cardiac adaptations, including larger left ventricular and left atrial volumes and increased left ventricular mass index, similar to other endurance athletes.
Jockey cardiac remodeling should not yet alter screening or management; extends athlete's heart descriptions to this occupational group but remains hypothesis-generating.
Background Research highlights the intense physiological demands of thoroughbred racing on jockeys, with elevated heart rates and substantial oxygen uptake, confirming the rigorous physical nature of the sport, however, the cardiovascular changes resulting from the physical demands of thoroughbred racing remain unexplored in Australian jockeys. Therefore, the objective of this study was to compare measures of cardiac structure and function of professional Australian jockeys to that of the general population and to determine if there are differences in heart structure and function detected using echocardiography. Methods Forty-six jockeys and thirty-three participants from the general population underwent two-dimensional echocardiography, which included all standard views and measurements. Each measurement was compared between groups using a Mann-Whitney U test. Results Groups were matched for age (jockeys (35 ± 12 years) and controls (36 ± 13 years)). Jockeys were shorter (1.64 ± 0.07 m vs. 1.75 ± 0.09 m, p < 0.001), lighter (56.5 ± 6.0 kg vs. 74.2 ± 12.9 kg, p < 0.001) and had a lower body surface area (BSA) (1.55 ± 0.17 m 2 vs.1.9 ± 0.2 m 2 , p < 0.001). Jockeys had a larger absolute left ventricular (LV) end diastolic volume than the control group (120 ± 18.2 ml vs. 109.3 ± 29.0 ml, p = 0.05) which had a larger variation when indexed for BSA (78.0 ± 12.2 ml/m 2 vs. 57.5 ± 13.3 ml/m 2 , p < 0.001). Jockeys demonstrated a higher LV mass index (79.4 ± 18.1 g/m 2 vs. 64.2 ± 15.4 g/m 2 , p < 0.001). Left atrial volume index was larger in jockeys (33.4 ± 6.5 mL/m 2 vs. 26.3 ± 7.0 mL/m 2 , p < 0.001). There were no differences in global longitudinal strain (GLS) for either group overall (-19.3 ± 3.0% vs. -19.8 ± 1.6%, p = 0.52), but 17% of the jockey group demonstrated an abnormal GLS. Conclusions Jockeys have adaptations to their cardiac structure and function compared to the general population. Differences could be attributed to chronic physiological demands of racing and should be considered in future research involving jockeys.
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Farley et al. (2024) conducted a cross-sectional in Healthy (Jockeys vs General Population) (n=79). Professional jockey training and racing vs. General population was evaluated on Left ventricular end-diastolic volume index (mL/m2) (p=<0.001). Professional Australian jockeys demonstrated significant cardiac adaptations compared to the general population, including a larger left ventricular end-diastolic volume index (78.0 vs 57.5 mL/m2).
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