Elena Cavarretta1,2, Ilaria D'Angeli3, Maura Giammarinaro3, Salvatore Gervasi3,4, Maurizio Fanchini5, Andrea Causarano5, Vincenzo Costa5, Massimo Manara5, Noemi Terribili3, Luigi Sciarra6, Leonardo CalÒ6, Chiara Fossati3,7, Mariangela Peruzzi8,9, Francesco Versaci10, Roberto Carnevale8,9, Giuseppe Biondi-Zoccai9, Giacomo Frati8,11. 1. Department of Medical-Surgical Sciences and Biotechnologies, Sapienza University of Rome, Latina, Italy - elena.cavarretta@uniroma1.it. 2. Mediterranea Cardiocentro, Napoli, Italy - elena.cavarretta@uniroma1.it. 3. Villa Stuart Sport Clinic, FIFA Medical Center of Excellence, Rome, Italy. 4. Sports Medicine Unit, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy. 5. AS Roma Football Club, Rome, Italy. 6. UOC Cardiologia, Policlinico Casilino, Rome, Italy. 7. Department of Movement, Human and Health Sciences, University of Rome Foro Italico, Rome, Italy. 8. Department of Medical-Surgical Sciences and Biotechnologies, Sapienza University of Rome, Latina, Italy. 9. Mediterranea Cardiocentro, Napoli, Italy. 10. Division of Cardiology, Santa Maria Goretti Hospital, Latina, Italy. 11. IRCCS Neuromed, Pozzilli, Isernia, Italy.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic with the stay-at-home orders and lockdown has dramatically forced athletes to stop team training and competitions, causing deep changes in habits and lifestyle. Aim of this study was to evaluate in a retrospective single center study the cardiovascular (CV) health and fitness of elite football player after COVID-19 lockdown in Italy and to compare such findings with the 2019 off-season period, in order to identify potential differences in the CV features and outcomes. METHODS: All 29 professional Football players of the first male team were enrolled before resuming training and competition after COVID-19 lockdown and underwent several exams including physical examination, resting and stress electrocardiography (ECG), echocardiography, spirometry and blood tests. RESULTS: Median age was 27 years (23; 31), with no athlete being COVID-19 positive at the time of the evaluation. In comparison with the usual off-season 2-month detraining, significant differences were found for left ventricular (LV) mass (189g [172; 212] vs. 181g [167; 206], p=0.024) and LV mass index for body surface area (94g/m2 [85; 104] vs 88g/m2 [79.5; 101.5], p=0.017), while LV mass/fat free mass remained unchanged (2.8 g/Kg [2.6; 2.9] vs 2.9 g/Kg [2.6; 3.2], p=0.222). Respiratory function and metabolic profile were improved, while no significant changes were found in ECG findings, at rest and during exercise. CONCLUSIONS: Prolonged abstinence from training and competitions induced by lockdown elicited significant changes in comparison with off-season in parameters ascribable to detraining, as the changes in LV mass, in respiratory function and in metabolic profile.
BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic with the stay-at-home orders and lockdown has dramatically forced athletes to stop team training and competitions, causing deep changes in habits and lifestyle. Aim of this study was to evaluate in a retrospective single center study the cardiovascular (CV) health and fitness of elite football player after COVID-19 lockdown in Italy and to compare such findings with the 2019 off-season period, in order to identify potential differences in the CV features and outcomes. METHODS: All 29 professional Football players of the first male team were enrolled before resuming training and competition after COVID-19 lockdown and underwent several exams including physical examination, resting and stress electrocardiography (ECG), echocardiography, spirometry and blood tests. RESULTS: Median age was 27 years (23; 31), with no athlete being COVID-19 positive at the time of the evaluation. In comparison with the usual off-season 2-month detraining, significant differences were found for left ventricular (LV) mass (189g [172; 212] vs. 181g [167; 206], p=0.024) and LV mass index for body surface area (94g/m2 [85; 104] vs 88g/m2 [79.5; 101.5], p=0.017), while LV mass/fat free mass remained unchanged (2.8 g/Kg [2.6; 2.9] vs 2.9 g/Kg [2.6; 3.2], p=0.222). Respiratory function and metabolic profile were improved, while no significant changes were found in ECG findings, at rest and during exercise. CONCLUSIONS: Prolonged abstinence from training and competitions induced by lockdown elicited significant changes in comparison with off-season in parameters ascribable to detraining, as the changes in LV mass, in respiratory function and in metabolic profile.
Authors: Ákos Móra; Zsolt Komka; József Végh; István Farkas; Gyöngyi Szilágyi Kocsisné; Edit Bosnyák; Márta Szmodis; Roland Ligetvári; Éva Csöndör; Gábor Almási; András Oláh; Han C G Kemper; Miklós Tóth; Pongrác Ács Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2022-01-09 Impact factor: 3.390