ELECTROCARDIOGRAPHIC AND ECHOCARDIOGRAPHIC FINDINGS IN TOP ATHLETES, ATHLETIC STUDENTS AND SEDENTARY CONTROLS

Thirty top level athletes, 30 athletic students and 30 sedentary contr ols underwent electrocardiographic and echocardiographic investigation . Resting ECG in athletes showed increased indices of hypertrophy comp ared to controls. The echocardiographic examination demonstrated an in crease in left ventricular mass (LVM) of 47% in top athletes and 23% i n athletic students compared to controls. The relationship between wal l thickness and diameter was similar in all groups, as were parameters of systolic and diastolic left ventricular function at rest. There wa s no correlation between LVM assessed by echocardiography and ventricu lar ectopic activity assessed by Holter monitoring in this normotensiv e population. Highly significant correlations between ECG and echocard iographic parameters of hypertrophy were demonstrated.