Prevalence of the RR genotypes of the locus ACTN3-R577X in Italian Muay Thai elite fighters

BACKGROUND: The α-actinin skeletal muscle isoform 3 ACTN3 p.Arg577X is one of the most frequently genetic variants tested for professional sports and exercise. The aim of this work was to evaluate the prevalence of the ACTN3 p.Arg577X genotypes in a consecutive series of 117 Italian Muay Thai elite fighters enrolled during the agonistic eligibility screening programs. METHODS: One hundred and seventeen professional Muay Thai Italian athletes and 150 controls (all coming from Sardinia) were genotyped for the ACTN3 polymorphisms (SNP ID rs1815739) using real-time polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: In the two groups, the genotypes' distribution was as per the Hardy-Weinberg principle (P>0.05). Statistically significant differences were observed for the ACTN3 X-allele that was more frequent in the athletes group compared to the controls (32% vs. 29.2%; P=0.012). The association between the genotype (Arg and X alleles) and the athletic status for the participants were statistically different in the Muay Thai group (Arg/Arg 46.2%, Arg/X 43.5% and X/X 10.3%) compared with the controls (Arg/Arg 50%, Arg/X 41.3% and X/X 8.7%). Muay Thai is characterized is a highly demanding sport in terms of both anaerobic and aerobic exercise, due to the powerful strikes and intense resistance training programs. Our results shed light onto a much-debated issue regarding the contribution of genetics to physical performance in the setting of martial arts at elite level in Italy. Since both power and endurance-related phenotypes are needed to excel at elite level, it would be logical that the ArgX genotype played a key role in fighting performance. However, the prevalence of ArgArg+ArgX demonstrates that the R allele is still the "most desirable" genotype. CONCLUSIONS: Although the present study was carried out on a small cohort of professional fighters, it can be concluded that the ACTN3 Arg allele is the "favored genotype"

Remote monitoring:Doomed to let down or an attractive promise?

Device interrogation and management are time consuming, representing a relevant burden for pacing centers. In several situations, patients management requires additional follow up visits. Remote Monitoring (RM) allows an optimal recall management and a rapid diagnosis of device or lead failure, without the need of additional in office visits. Further it allows a significant delay reduction between the adverse event and the reaction to the alarm, shortening the time needed to make a clinical decision. A role in risk-predicting patient-related outcomes has also been shown. RM permits detection of the arrhythmia from 1 to 5 months in advance compared to in-office visits. Importantly, by using specific algorithms with multiparametric analysis, RM has been studied as a potential instrument to identify early patients on risk of worsening HF using specific algorithms. Although the use of RM in HF setting remains controversial, it has been proposed to improve HF clinical outcomes and survival in clinical trials. In this sense. RM success could require a standardization of process within a management model, that may involve different health care professionals. In this review, we examine recent advances of RM providing an update of this tool through different clinical scenarios. Published by Elsevier B.V

Remote monitoring: Doomed to let down or an attractive promise?

Device interrogation and management are time consuming, representing a relevant burden for pacing centers. In several situations, patients management requires additional follow up visits. Remote Monitoring (RM) allows an optimal recall management and a rapid diagnosis of device or lead failure, without the need of additional in office visits. Further it allows a significant delay reduction between the adverse event and the reaction to the alarm, shortening the time needed to make a clinical decision. A role in risk-predicting patient-related outcomes has also been shown. RM permits detection of the arrhythmia from 1 to 5 months in advance compared to in-office visits. Importantly, by using specific algorithms with multiparametric analysis, RM has been studied as a potential instrument to identify early patients on risk of worsening HF using specific algorithms. Although the use of RM in HF setting remains controversial, it has been proposed to improve HF clinical outcomes and survival in clinical trials. In this sense. RM success could require a standardization of process within a management model, that may involve different health care professionals. In this review, we examine recent advances of RM providing an update of this tool through different clinical scenarios. Published by Elsevier B.V