1 research outputs found
Acute impact of an endurance race on biventricular and biatrial myocardial strain in competitive male and female triathletes evaluated by feature-tracking CMR
Objectives!#!Cardiac adaptation in endurance athletes is a well-known phenomenon, but the acute impact of strenuous exercise is rarely reported on. The aim of this study was to analyze the alterations in biventricular and biatrial function in triathletes after an endurance race using novel feature-tracking cardiac magnetic resonance (FT-CMR).!##!Methods!#!Fifty consecutive triathletes (45βΒ±β10Β years; 80% men) and twenty-eight controls were prospectively recruited, and underwent 1.5-T CMR. Biventricular and biatrial volumes, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), FT-CMR analysis, and late gadolinium imaging (LGE) were performed. Global systolic longitudinal (GLS), circumferential (GCS), and radial strain (GRS) were assessed. CMR was performed at baseline and following an endurance race. High-sensitive troponin T and NT-proBNP were determined. The time interval between race completion and CMR was 2.3βΒ±β1.1Β h (range 1-5Β h).!##!Results!#!Post-race troponin T (pβ<β0.0001) and NT-proBNP (pβ<β0.0001) were elevated. LVEF remained constant (62βΒ±β6 vs. 63βΒ±β7%, pβ=β0.607). Post-race LV GLS decreased by tendency (-β18βΒ±β2 vs.β-β17βΒ±β2%, pβ=β0.054), whereas GCS (-β16βΒ±β4 vs.β-β18βΒ±β4%, pβ<β0.05) and GRS increased (39βΒ±β11 vs. 44βΒ±β11%, pβ<β0.01). Post-race right ventricular GLS (-β19βΒ±β3 vs.β-β19βΒ±β3%, pβ=β0.668) remained constant and GCS increased (-β7βΒ±β2 vs.β-β8βΒ±β3%, pβ<β0.001). Post-race left atrial GLS (30βΒ±β8 vs. 24βΒ±β6%, pβ<β0.0001) decreased while right atrial GLS remained constant (25βΒ±β6 vs. 24βΒ±β6%, pβ=β0.519).!##!Conclusions!#!The different alterations of post-race biventricular and biatrial strain might constitute an intrinsic compensatory mechanism following an acute bout of endurance exercise. The combined use of strain parameters may allow a better characterization of ventricular and atrial function in endurance athletes.!##!Key points!#!β’ Triathletes demonstrate a decrease of LV global longitudinal strain by tendency and constant RV global longitudinal strain following an endurance race. β’ Post-race LV and RV global circumferential and radial strains increase, possibly indicating a compensatory mechanism after an acute endurance exercise bout. β’ Subgroup analyses of male triathletes with focal myocardial fibrosis did not demonstrate alterations in biventricular and biatrial strain after an endurance race