Long-term intensive training in competitive athletes over 5 years was associated with a significant increase in right ventricular end-diastolic volume (paired difference 10 mL, P=0.0033).
Cohort (n=18)
Does long-term intensive training induce ongoing remodeling of the athlete's heart over a mid-term follow-up?
Mid-term follow-up of competitive athletes demonstrates ongoing cardiac remodeling, predominantly characterized by right heart enlargement and a slight decrease in right ventricular ejection fraction.
Mean Difference: 10
Absolute Event Rate: 230% vs 221%
p-value: p=0.0033
Background Long-term intensive training induces physiological, morphological, and functional adaption of the athlete’s heart. Purpose To evaluate the development of athlete’s heart during a mid-term follow-up of competitive athletes using cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR). Material and Methods Eighteen competitive long-distance runners and triathletes (age 43 ± 13 years, 3 women) were prospectively examined in a longitudinal follow-up study 5.05 ± 0.6 years after baseline. CMR at 1.5-T was performed for functional and late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) imaging. Left ventricular (LV) and right ventricular (RV) end-diastolic volume (LVEDV, RVEDV) as well as ejection fraction (LVEF, RVEF), LV myocardial mass (LVMM), and atrial sizes were determined and compared to baseline in matched pairs statistics for paired difference. Results LVEDV (197 ± 38 mL vs. 196 ± 38 mL, paired difference −0.9 mL, P = 0.7) and LVEF (62 ± 7% vs. 62 ± 5%, paired difference 0.1%, P = 0.9) did not change during the follow-up period, whereas LVMM increased significantly (149 ± 31 g vs.164 ± 32 g, paired difference 14 g, P < 0.0001). RVEDV significantly increased from 221 ± 47 mL at baseline to 230 ± 52 mL (paired difference 10 mL, P = 0.0033). RVEF decreased from baseline 57 ± 8% to 53 ± 7% (paired difference −3%, P = 0.0234). Left atrial size showed no significant changes (24 ± 5 cm 2 vs. 25 ± 6 cm 2 , paired difference 0.5 cm 2 , P = 0.17) and right atrial size increased significantly (30 ± 5 cm 2 vs. 32 ± 4 cm 2 , paired difference 2 cm 2 , P = 0.0054). Conclusion This study supports the theory of ongoing remodeling in an athlete’s heart. Predominantly the right heart can further enlarge in a mid-term period. This response seems not linearly dependent on a steady, decreased, or increased training volume.
Krumm et al. (Thu,) conducted a cohort in Competitive athletes (n=18). Long-term intensive training vs. Baseline was evaluated on Right ventricular end-diastolic volume (RVEDV) (paired difference 10 mL, p=0.0033). Long-term intensive training in competitive athletes over 5 years was associated with a significant increase in right ventricular end-diastolic volume (paired difference 10 mL, P=0.0033).