PMID: 11899588Mar 20, 2002Paper

Effects of different training protocols on left ventricular myocardial function in competitive athletes: a Doppler tissue imaging study

Italian Heart Journal : Official Journal of the Italian Federation of Cardiology
Antonello D'AndreaRaffaele Calabrò

Abstract

The aim of the study was to analyze the differences in myocardial function in case of left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy induced by either endurance or strength training in top-level athletes. Standard Doppler echo and pulsed Doppler tissue imaging (DTI) of the interventricular septum and of the LV inferior wall were performed in 26 competitive endurance athletes (long-distance swimmers) (group A) and in 20 strength-trained athletes (short-distance swimmers) (group B). By means of DTI, the following parameters of myocardial function were assessed: the systolic peak velocities (Sm), the pre-contraction time, the contraction time, the early (Em) and late (Am) diastolic velocities, the Em/Am ratio and the relaxation time. The two groups were comparable for age and sex, but at rest group B showed a higher heart rate, systolic blood pressure and body surface area. The LV mass index and fractional shortening did not significantly differ between the two groups. However, group B showed an increased sum of the wall thicknesses (septum + posterior wall) (p < 0.001) and of the relative wall thickness, while the LV stroke volume and LV end-diastolic diameter (p < 0.001) were greater in group A. All transmitral Doppler indexes were higher in...Continue Reading

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