Arnaud Hubert1,2,3, Vincent Galand1,2,3, Erwan Donal1,2,3, Dominique Pavin1,2,3, Elena Galli1,2,3, Raphaël P Martins1,2,3, Christophe Leclercq1,2,3, François Carré2,3,4, Frédéric Schnell2,3,4. 1. Department of Cardiology, Pontchaillou Hospital, 2 rue Henri Le Guilloux, Rennes 35033, France. 2. LTSI, Université Rennes 1, Campus de Beaulieu, Bâtiment 22, 263 Avenue du Général Leclerc, Rennes 35042, France. 3. INSERM, U1099, Université Rennes 1, Campus de Beaulieu, Bâtiment 22, 263 Avenue du Général Leclerc, Rennes 35042, France. 4. Department of Sport Medicine, Pontchaillou Hospital, 2 rue Henri Le Guilloux, Rennes 35033, France.
Abstract
Aims: Intensive endurance sport practice is associated with an increased risk of atrial fibrillation (AF) in male veteran athletes. Paroxysmal AF (PAF) is the very beginning step of this disease. The description of atrial remodelling occurring at this early stage might enable to depict predictive factors of AF in veteran athletes in order to give them personalized recommendation according to their sport practice. Methods and results: Twenty-seven male endurance veteran athletes with documented PAF were retrospectively enrolled and compared with 30 control endurance athletes without documented AF, with similar training level, age, and cardiovascular risk factors. All subjects underwent a resting-electrocardiogram (ECG) to assess the electric remodelling of P-waves as well as an echocardiography, to evaluate the left and right atrial (LA, RA) anatomical and functional (assessed by 2D strain) remodelling. No difference was noted between groups for the ECG P-wave parameters. Atrial function was decreased in the PAF group, particularly the peak atrial longitudinal strain (L-ɛ-Max) of LA (29.3 ± 7.9% vs. 49.1 ± 7.8% respectively in the PAF group and in controls, P < 0.0001) and RA (36.5 ± 7.0% vs. 50.6 ± 10.2%, P < 0.0001). LA and RA volumes were also larger in the PAF group. Receiver operating characteristic analysis demonstrated that L-ɛ-Max of LA [area under curve (AUC): 0.957 ± 0.023] and RA (AUC: 0.901 ± 0.042) had the best ability to identify the athletes with PAF, far better than the anatomical parameters (AUC < 0.75 in all). Conclusion: Atrial function analysed by strain in echocardiography is strongly associated with PAF and might enable to identify male endurance veteran athletes at risk to develop AF. Published on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology. All rights reserved.
Aims: Intensive endurance sport practice is associated with an increased risk of atrial fibrillation (AF) in male veteran athletes. Paroxysmal AF (PAF) is the very beginning step of this disease. The description of atrial remodelling occurring at this early stage might enable to depict predictive factors of AF in veteran athletes in order to give them personalized recommendation according to their sport practice. Methods and results: Twenty-seven male endurance veteran athletes with documented PAF were retrospectively enrolled and compared with 30 control endurance athletes without documented AF, with similar training level, age, and cardiovascular risk factors. All subjects underwent a resting-electrocardiogram (ECG) to assess the electric remodelling of P-waves as well as an echocardiography, to evaluate the left and right atrial (LA, RA) anatomical and functional (assessed by 2D strain) remodelling. No difference was noted between groups for the ECG P-wave parameters. Atrial function was decreased in the PAF group, particularly the peak atrial longitudinal strain (L-ɛ-Max) of LA (29.3 ± 7.9% vs. 49.1 ± 7.8% respectively in the PAF group and in controls, P < 0.0001) and RA (36.5 ± 7.0% vs. 50.6 ± 10.2%, P < 0.0001). LA and RA volumes were also larger in the PAF group. Receiver operating characteristic analysis demonstrated that L-ɛ-Max of LA [area under curve (AUC): 0.957 ± 0.023] and RA (AUC: 0.901 ± 0.042) had the best ability to identify the athletes with PAF, far better than the anatomical parameters (AUC < 0.75 in all). Conclusion: Atrial function analysed by strain in echocardiography is strongly associated with PAF and might enable to identify male endurance veteran athletes at risk to develop AF. Published on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology. All rights reserved.
Authors: Marion Charton; Gäelle Kervio; David Matelot; Thibault Lachard; Elena Galli; Erwan Donal; François Carré; Solène Le Douairon Lahaye; Frédéric Schnell Journal: Front Cardiovasc Med Date: 2021-12-20
Authors: Mahdi Sareban; Tabea Perz; Franziska Macholz; Bernhard Reich; Peter Schmidt; Sebastian Fried; Heimo Mairbäurl; Marc M Berger; Josef Niebauer Journal: Int J Cardiovasc Imaging Date: 2020-03-09 Impact factor: 2.357