Myocardial mechanics of athletic hearts in comparison with diseased hearts

Y Sugishita, S Koseki, M Matsuda, T Yamaguchi… - American Heart …, 1983 - Elsevier
Y Sugishita, S Koseki, M Matsuda, T Yamaguchi, I Ito
American Heart Journal, 1983Elsevier
Parameters of myocardial mechanics were measured by means of echocardiography in 31
competitive runners and 17 judo (Japanese wrestling) champions and were then compared
with those in 25 normal control subjects, 15 patients with volume-overloaded (aortic
regurgitation, AR) and 13 with pressure-overloaded (hypertension, HT) hearts, 14 patients
with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), and 11 patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
(HCM). In runners, the ratio of left ventricular radius to wall thickness (R Th) was maintained …
Parameters of myocardial mechanics were measured by means of echocardiography in 31 competitive runners and 17 judo (Japanese wrestling) champions and were then compared with those in 25 normal control subjects, 15 patients with volume-overloaded (aortic regurgitation, AR) and 13 with pressure-overloaded (hypertension, HT) hearts, 14 patients with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), and 11 patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). In runners, the ratio of left ventricular radius to wall thickness (R Th) was maintained in the normal range, but fractional shortening (FS) had decreased slightly (p< 0.01). Patients with decompensated DCM and AR had an increased R Th (p< 0.001) and a decreased FS (p< 0.001). In judo champions, FS was maintained in the normal range, but R Th had decreased (p< 0.001). In patients with HT, R Th had decreased slightly (p< 0.05), but FS and peak systolic wall stress were maintained in the normal range. In patients with HCM, FS was maintained in the normal range, but R Th had decreased (p< 0.001). It is concluded that, at rest, hearts of runners are cardiomechanically similar to those of patients with compensated AR or DCM and probably have greater cardiac reserve, whereas hearts of judo champions are similar to those of HCM patients with inappropriate hypertrophy.
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