Key result
An acute bout of endurance exercise in triathletes led to a trend toward decreased left ventricular global longitudinal strain and significantly increased circumferential and radial strains.
Why the study?
Cardiac adaptation in endurance athletes is well known, but the acute impact of strenuous exercise is rarely reported.
Does an acute endurance race alter biventricular and biatrial myocardial strain in competitive triathletes?
Observational (n=78)
No
Does an acute endurance race alter biventricular and biatrial myocardial strain in competitive triathletes?
Acute endurance exercise induces transient alterations in biventricular and biatrial strain, which may represent an intrinsic compensatory mechanism to maintain cardiac output.
Acute post-race biventricular changes detectable by FT-CMR in triathletes; leaves open clinical relevance and requires prospective validation.
OBJECTIVES: Cardiac adaptation in endurance athletes is a well-known phenomenon, but the acute impact of strenuous exercise is rarely reported on. The aim of this study was to analyze the alterations in biventricular and biatrial function in triathletes after an endurance race using novel feature-tracking cardiac magnetic resonance (FT-CMR). METHODS: Fifty consecutive triathletes (45 ± 10 years; 80% men) and twenty-eight controls were prospectively recruited, and underwent 1.5-T CMR. Biventricular and biatrial volumes, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), FT-CMR analysis, and late gadolinium imaging (LGE) were performed. Global systolic longitudinal (GLS), circumferential (GCS), and radial strain (GRS) were assessed. CMR was performed at baseline and following an endurance race. High-sensitive troponin T and NT-proBNP were determined. The time interval between race completion and CMR was 2.3 ± 1.1 h (range 1-5 h). RESULTS: Post-race troponin T (p < 0.0001) and NT-proBNP (p < 0.0001) were elevated. LVEF remained constant (62 ± 6 vs. 63 ± 7%, p = 0.607). Post-race LV GLS decreased by tendency (- 18 ± 2 vs. - 17 ± 2%, p = 0.054), whereas GCS (- 16 ± 4 vs. - 18 ± 4%, p < 0.05) and GRS increased (39 ± 11 vs. 44 ± 11%, p < 0.01). Post-race right ventricular GLS (- 19 ± 3 vs. - 19 ± 3%, p = 0.668) remained constant and GCS increased (- 7 ± 2 vs. - 8 ± 3%, p < 0.001). Post-race left atrial GLS (30 ± 8 vs. 24 ± 6%, p < 0.0001) decreased while right atrial GLS remained constant (25 ± 6 vs. 24 ± 6%, p = 0.519). CONCLUSIONS: The different alterations of post-race biventricular and biatrial strain might constitute an intrinsic compensatory mechanism following an acute bout of endurance exercise. The combined use of strain parameters may allow a better characterization of ventricular and atrial function in endurance athletes. KEY POINTS: • Triathletes demonstrate a decrease of LV global longitudinal strain by tendency and constant RV global longitudinal strain following an endurance race. • Post-race LV and RV global circumferential and radial strains increase, possibly indicating a compensatory mechanism after an acute endurance exercise bout. • Subgroup analyses of male triathletes with focal myocardial fibrosis did not demonstrate alterations in biventricular and biatrial strain after an endurance race.
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
Chen et al. (2021) conducted an observational in Healthy competitive triathletes (n=78). Endurance race vs. Baseline (pre-race) was evaluated on Left ventricular global longitudinal strain (LV GLS) (p=0.054). An acute bout of endurance exercise in triathletes led to a trend toward decreased left ventricular global longitudinal strain and significantly increased circumferential and radial strains.
Synapse has enriched 5 related papers. Consider them for comparative context: