SPORTS-SPECIFIC ADAPTATION OF LEFT-VENTRICULAR MUSCLE MASS IN ATHLETES HEART .2. AN ECHOCARDIOGRAPHIC STUDY WITH 400-M RUNNERS AND SOCCER PLAYERS

Regarding the influence of the left ventricular (LV) adaptation by spo rts-specific factors the supposed endurance training have so far been compared mainly to strength conditioning. In the present study we inve stigated the echocardiographic LV measurements of endurance-trained at hletes in different kinds of endurance sports (running and ball games) by using matched-pair procedures. We examined 22 male soccer players (S) and 22 male 400-m runners (R) on a regional up to a national level with - each similar in pairs - the following body mass (S: 75.7 +/- 5 .0 kg; R: 75.2 +/- 5.6), body surface area (S: 1.97 +/- 0.09 m(2); R: 1.98 +/- 0.09), fat-free body mass (S: 68.4 +/- 4.6 kg; R: 68.3 +/- 5. 3) and individual anaerobic threshold as a criterion to determine the running endurance (S: 14.23 +/- 0.79 km . h(-1); R: 14.25 +/- 0.80). T he body dimensions-related heart volume (HV/lean body mass: S: 14.2 +/ - 1.5 ml . kg(-1); R: 13.4 +/- 1.0) as well as the absolute and body s urface-related LV internal diameter (EDD: S: 55.0 +/- 3.8 mm; R: 52.7 +/- 3.3; EDD/body-surface area: S: 27.8 +/- 1.9 mm m(-2); R: 26.6 +/- 1.3) were measured significantly higher in S as compared to R (p < 0.0 5 and p < 0.01, respectively). In both groups, free LV wall thickness, enddiastolic diameter and LV muscle mass correlated significantly wit h the body dimensions (fat-free body mass: r = 0.42-0.48-0.56; p < 0.0 04, respectively). In conclusion, specific sport-related strain like f requent exercises in interval form (typical for ball games) and a diff erent volume/intensity ratio could significantly influence the LV adap tation beside the endurance performance as well as constitutional and genetic factors.