ELECTROCARDIOGRAPHIC FINDINGS IN FEMALE ENDURANCE ATHLETES

Objective: To determine the prevalence of aberrations in the resting e lectrocardiogram (EGG) in female athletes. Design: Case-control study. Participants: Thirty female endurance athletes and 30 age-matched non obese nonathletic control subjects. Main outcome measures: Different m easurements based on resting ECGs. Main results: The athletes had lowe r heart rate (mean 53 +/- SD 7) than the controls (67 +/- 11; p < 0.00 01), but no group difference was found in atrioventricular conduction (PQ interval). Cornell voltage (R-aVL + S-V3) reflecting left ventricu lar mass was higher in athletes (1.18 +/- 0.58 mV vs. 0.78 +/- 0.41 mV ; p = 0.0030), but the deviations from normal limits were small. The i ndex reflecting right ventricular mass (R-V1 + S-V5) was higher in ath letes (0.58 +/- 0.23 mV) than controls (0.45 +/- 0.23 mV; p = 0.036) b ut did not exceed the criterion for right side hypertrophy. QRS durati on was slightly prolonged in athletes (99 +/- 10 ms vs. 92 +/- 9 ms; p = 0.010), as were rate-adjusted QT intervals (p < 0.05). J-point elev ations (p = 0.0062) and ST-segment elevations (p = 0.013) were seen mo re frequently in athletes, but were usually small, Conclusions: The fe male athlete's ECG differs less from control subjects than has been re ported in male athletes. Extrathoracal anatomic considerations may exp lain some of the sex differences. However, when clear-cut ECG abnormal ities are observed in female athletes, organic heart disease must be c arefully excluded.