OBJECTIVE: To investigate cardiac structure and function and exercise capacity in senior former elite athlete women. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. PARTICIPANTS: Twenty postmenopausal former elite endurance athletes and 19 age-matched sedentary controls. METHODS: All subjects underwent transthoracic Doppler echocardiography and maximal exercise test on a bicycle ergometer. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Cardiac chamber dimensions, wall thickness, cardiac function, and exercise capacity. RESULTS: The athletes had a greater exercise capacity (183 +/- 26 vs. 144 +/- 36 W; P < 0.01) compared with controls. Three of 20 (15%) athletes and 9 of 19 (47%) controls exhibited ST depressions during exercise test (P < 0.05). Echocardiographic measurements demonstrated larger left ventricular diameter (2.9 +/- 0.3 vs. 2.6 +/- 0.2 cm/m; P < 0.01), left ventricular volume (64 +/- 14 vs. 54 +/- 8 mL/m; P < 0.05), right ventricular diameter (1.6 +/- 0.2 vs. 1.4 +/- 0.2 cm/m; P < 0.01), left atrial volume (20.8 +/- 6 vs. 16.6 +/- 3.6 mL/m; P < 0.05), and stroke volume (45 +/- 10 vs. 36 +/- 5 mL/m; P < 0.01) in athletes than controls, whereas interventricular septum (9.3 +/- 1.7 vs. 10.1 +/- 1.8 mm; P > 0.05) and posterior wall thickness (9.0 +/- 1.6 vs. 9.2 +/- 1.0 mm; P > 0.05) did not differ between the groups. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates cardiac enlargement without increased wall thickness in postmenopausal former elite endurance athlete women. Our results also indicate that long-term training maintains a high level of cardiovascular fitness in the aging female athletes.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate cardiac structure and function and exercise capacity in senior former elite athlete women. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. PARTICIPANTS: Twenty postmenopausal former elite endurance athletes and 19 age-matched sedentary controls. METHODS: All subjects underwent transthoracic Doppler echocardiography and maximal exercise test on a bicycle ergometer. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Cardiac chamber dimensions, wall thickness, cardiac function, and exercise capacity. RESULTS: The athletes had a greater exercise capacity (183 +/- 26 vs. 144 +/- 36 W; P < 0.01) compared with controls. Three of 20 (15%) athletes and 9 of 19 (47%) controls exhibited ST depressions during exercise test (P < 0.05). Echocardiographic measurements demonstrated larger left ventricular diameter (2.9 +/- 0.3 vs. 2.6 +/- 0.2 cm/m; P < 0.01), left ventricular volume (64 +/- 14 vs. 54 +/- 8 mL/m; P < 0.05), right ventricular diameter (1.6 +/- 0.2 vs. 1.4 +/- 0.2 cm/m; P < 0.01), left atrial volume (20.8 +/- 6 vs. 16.6 +/- 3.6 mL/m; P < 0.05), and stroke volume (45 +/- 10 vs. 36 +/- 5 mL/m; P < 0.01) in athletes than controls, whereas interventricular septum (9.3 +/- 1.7 vs. 10.1 +/- 1.8 mm; P > 0.05) and posterior wall thickness (9.0 +/- 1.6 vs. 9.2 +/- 1.0 mm; P > 0.05) did not differ between the groups. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates cardiac enlargement without increased wall thickness in postmenopausal former elite endurance athlete women. Our results also indicate that long-term training maintains a high level of cardiovascular fitness in the aging female athletes.
Authors: M Wilson; R O'Hanlon; S Basavarajaiah; K George; D Green; P Ainslie; S Sharma; S Prasad; C Murrell; D Thijssen; A Nevill; G Whyte Journal: Eur J Appl Physiol Date: 2010-06-17 Impact factor: 3.078
Authors: Jon Egelund; Peter G Jørgensen; Camilla M Mandrup; Thomas Fritz-Hansen; Bente Stallknecht; Jens Bangsbo; Michael Nyberg; Ylva Hellsten Journal: J Am Heart Assoc Date: 2017-08-18 Impact factor: 5.501
Authors: Alexander J Beaumont; Fergal M Grace; Joanna C Richards; Amy K Campbell; Nicholas F Sculthorpe Journal: Sports Med Date: 2019-02 Impact factor: 11.136