The association of heart rate recovery immediately after exercise with coronary artery calcium: the coronary artery risk development in young adults study

We tested whether slower heart rate recovery (HRR) following graded exercise treadmill testing (GXT) was associated with the presence of coronary artery calcium (CAC). Participants (n = 2,648) ages 18–30 years at baseline examination underwent GXT, followed by CAC screening 15 years later. Slow HRR was not associated with higher odds of testing positive (yes/no) for CAC at year 15 (OR = 0.99, p = 0.91 per standard deviation change in HRR). Slow HRR in young adulthood is not associated with the presence of CAC at middle age

Metabolic Syndrome Is Associated with Delayed Heart Rate Recovery after Exercise

Heart rate (HR) recovery after exercise is a function of vagal reactivation, and its impairment is a predictor of overall mortality and adverse cardiovascular events. While metabolic syndrome is associated with sympathetic overactivity, little is known about the relationship between metabolic syndrome and HR recovery. A symptom-limited exercise stress test in healthy subjects (n=1,434) was used to evaluate HR recovery. Metabolic syndrome was defined according to the National Cholesterol Education Program's Adult Treatment Panel III (NCEP ATP-III) criteria. Seventeen percent of subjects had ≥3 criteria for metabolic syndrome. HR recovery was lower in men than women and in smokers than nonsmokers. The subject with metabolic syndrome (vs. without) showed lower HR recovery (10.3±11.6 vs. 13.6±9.7 per minute) and higher resting HR (64.3±10.3 vs. 61.6±9.1 per minute). HR recovery correlated inversely to age (r=-0.25, p<0.0001), but not to resting HR or maximal oxygen uptake. Delayed HR recovery was associated with metabolic syndrome after an adjustment for age, sex, resting HR and smoking (p<0.01). Metabolic syndrome is associated with impaired vagal reactivation. Adverse cardiovascular outcomes associated with metabolic syndrome may be mediated by the failure of vagal reactivation in addition to sympathetic overactivity

Abnormal ECG Findings in Athletes: Clinical Evaluation and Considerations.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Pre-participation cardiovascular evaluation with electrocardiography is normal practice for most sporting bodies. Awareness about sudden cardiac death in athletes and recognizing how screening can help identify vulnerable athletes have empowered different sporting disciplines to invest in the wellbeing of their athletes. RECENT FINDINGS: Discerning physiological electrical alterations due to athletic training from those representing cardiac pathology may be challenging. The mode of investigation of affected athletes is dependent on the electrical anomaly and the disease(s) in question. This review will highlight specific pathological ECG patterns that warrant assessment and surveillance, together with an in-depth review of the recommended algorithm for evaluation

Cervical vertebrae anomalies in patients with class III skeletal malocclusion

Background and Objective : Studies have documented that deviations in skeletal components such as the cranial base, the mid-facial complex and the mandible may be associated with morphological factors in patients with class III skeletal malocclusion. Furthermore, deviations in head and neck posture may be associated with the class III skeletal malocclusion. The purpose of this study was to compare cervical vertebrae morphology in patients with class III skeletal malocclusion and adults with normal occlusion. Materials and Methods: This case-control study assessed 30 patients with class III skeletal malocclusion (aged 17-30 yrs, with normal vertical growth pattern and ANB<0) were compared with 46 controls (aged 17-30 years, with normal vertical growth pattern, ANB=3+1). Cervical vertebrae anomalies (fusion anomalies and posterior arch deficiency) were assessed via evaluation of their lateral cephalograms. The t- test and Fisher′s exact test were used for statistical analysis. Results: In the study group, 73.3% had fusion of the body of the cervical vertebrae, while in the control group only 32.6% showed fusion. The fusion in the control group was between C2 and C3 in all cases; whereas, in the study group, fusion was seen between C2-C3, C3-C¬4 or C4-C¬5. Additionally, cervical column deviations occurred significantly more often in the study group compared to the control group (P<0.001). Conclusion : Class III skeletal malocclusion may be associated with fusion of cervical vertebrae and deviation of the cervical column