Left ventricular mass, geometry and filling in elite female and male endurance athletes

Citation
A. Stolt et al., Left ventricular mass, geometry and filling in elite female and male endurance athletes, SC J MED SC, 10(1), 2000, pp. 28-32
Citations number
18
Categorie Soggetti
Ortopedics, Rehabilitation & Sport Medicine
Journal title
SCANDINAVIAN JOURNAL OF MEDICINE & SCIENCE IN SPORTS
ISSN journal
09057188 → ACNP
Volume
10
Issue
1
Year of publication
2000
Pages
28 - 32
Database
ISI
SICI code
0905-7188(200002)10:1<28:LVMGAF>2.0.ZU;2-1
Abstract
We compared echocardiographic findings in female (n=30) and male (n=30) end urance athletes to age-matched female (n=15) and male (n=15) sedentary cont rols. The differences between athletes and controls were similar in both se xes; only left ventricular (LV) mass and septum thickness differed slightly more in men than in women (67% vs 55%, P=0.004, and 36% vs 30%, P=0.03, re spectively), LV wall thicknesses were in the normal range in all women, whi le four (13%) male athletes exceeded 13 mm, In conclusion, the effects of e ndurance training on echocardiographic findings appear to he quite similar in women and men, However, in female athletes with an abnormally thick left ventricular wall a thorough cardiac evaluation is indicated. This contrast s with male athletes, in whom LV wall thicknesses of over 13 mm are a not u ncommon finding.