Key result
Amateur marathon running induced a transient reduction in right ventricular global longitudinal strain within 1 hour post-marathon (-23.0% vs baseline -26.2%, p<0.001) that recovered by 4 days.
Why the study?
Prolonged high-intensity endurance exercise can have adverse cardiac effects, but its impact on the right ventricle of amateur runners remains unknown.
Does marathon running affect right ventricular structure and systolic function in amateur marathon runners?
Observational (n=57)
No
Does marathon running affect right ventricular structure and systolic function in amateur marathon runners?
Absolute Event Rate: -23% vs -26.2%
p-value: p=<0.001
Three-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography demonstrates that amateur marathon runners exhibit early adaptive enhancement in right ventricular volume and systolic function, with a transient subclinical reduction in systolic function immediately following a marathon.
Transient post-marathon RV strain reduction in amateurs warrants no practice change; leaves open cumulative effects of repeated endurance exercise.
Prolonged high-intensity endurance exercise has been reported to have adverse effects on the heart, which are further correlated with exercise dose. However, its effect on the right ventricle (RV) of amateur runners is unknown. This study aimed was to evaluate the early right ventricular structure and systolic function of amateur marathon runners by three-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography (3D-STE), and to further analyze the correlation between relevant parameters and the amount of training. A total of 30 amateur marathon runners (marathon group) and 27 healthy volunteers (control group) were enrolled. Conventional echocardiography combined with 3D-STE was performed in all subjects, and the marathon group was screened by echocardiography a week before a marathon (V1), within 1 h post-marathon (V2), and 4 days post-marathon (V3). RV global longitudinal strain (GLS) and RV end-diastolic volume (EDV) increased significantly in the marathon group compared to the control group (P < 0.05). RV GLS was significantly decreased in the marathon group within 1 h post-marathon (V1: - 26.2 ± 2.5% vs V2: - 23.0 ± 1.6% vs V3: - 25.6 ± 2.6%, P < 0.001). However, there was no significant difference in RV ejection fraction (RVEF) (P > 0.05). The results of the correlation analysis showed that RV EDV and RV end-systolic volume (ESV) were positively correlated with the average training volume (P < 0.001). Multivariate linear regression analysis showed that average training volume was an independent predictor of RV EDV in amateur marathoners (β = 0.642, P < 0.001). The systolic function of the RV was enhanced in amateur marathon runners in the early stage, manifested by an increase in RV EDV. After a long period of high-intensity endurance exercise, RV systolic function will temporarily be reduced. 3D-STE can identify this subclinical change with high sensitivity and provide valuable information to assess the structure and function of RV in amateur marathon runners.
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Hu et al. (2023) conducted an observational in Healthy amateur marathon runners (n=57). Marathon running vs. Baseline (pre-marathon) and sedentary controls was evaluated on Right ventricular global longitudinal strain (RV GLS) at 1 hour post-marathon compared to baseline (p=<0.001). Amateur marathon running induced a transient reduction in right ventricular global longitudinal strain within 1 hour post-marathon (-23.0% vs baseline -26.2%, p<0.001) that recovered by 4 days.
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