Maximal intensity exercise in male athletes significantly increased apical circumferential strain (-28.4% vs -23.1%, P<0.05) and LV twisting (14.2° vs 7.9°, P<0.001) compared to rest.
Observational (n=27)
Does maximal intensity exercise alter left ventricular strain and torsional components in male water polo players?
Maximal exercise in athletes enhances apical circumferential strain and left ventricular twisting, which are key mechanisms supporting systolic function and subsequent diastolic filling.
PURPOSE: The increase in systolic indexes from rest (R) to exercise is achieved by combination of enhanced heart rate (HR) and stroke volume (SV). Aim of this study was to evaluate left ventricular (LV) longitudinal, circumferential, and torsional components immediately after a maximal intensity exercise (ME) by speckle tracking echocardiography (STE). METHODS: Twenty-seven male water polo players performed an ME that consisted of 6 repeats of 100 m freestyle swim sets. An echocardiographic examination was performed before and after ME. STE was performed to obtain the analysis of LV myocardial deformation. RESULTS: There were no differences between R and ME regarding LV longitudinal strains (PVLS). Apical circumferential LV strain (AVCS) and LV longitudinal strain rate (SR) increased at ME with respect to R (R: -23.1 ± 4.9%; ME: -28.4 ± 7.6%, P < 0.05; R: -1.1 ± 0.1/sec, ME: -1.5 ± 0.2/sec, P < 0.01). LV twisting (LVT) and untwisting (UTW) increased at ME (R: 7.9 ± 2.4°, ME: 14.2 ± 3.2°, P < 0.001; R: -107.2 ± 47.4; ME: -158.5 ± 61.5 °/sec; P < 0.01). At ME, apical rotation (Arot) had higher values than R values (5.4 ± 3.0°; 10.0 ± 6.0°; P < 0.01) and time-to-peak (TTP) of apical segments are earlier than all TTP. SV was related to LVT (r = 0.56, P = 0.01), AVCS (r = -0.59, P = 0.005) and Arot (r = 0.46, P = 0.04). At multivariate analysis, AVCS was the independent predictor of SV (β = -0.58; P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Apical fibers and LVT give the main contribution to systolic components at ME. The storage of energy during LVT, released during early diastole, seems to be a fundamental mechanism to support diastolic filling during maximal exercise.
Santoro et al. (Sat,) conducted a observational in Athletes (water polo players) (n=27). Maximal intensity exercise vs. Rest (baseline) was evaluated on Left ventricular longitudinal, circumferential, and torsional components. Maximal intensity exercise in male athletes significantly increased apical circumferential strain (-28.4% vs -23.1%, P<0.05) and LV twisting (14.2° vs 7.9°, P<0.001) compared to rest.
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