Echocardiographic findings in professional league soccer players - Effect of the position of the players on the echocardiographic parameters

Background. The purpose of the study was to compare the echocardiographic p arameters of soccer players to healthy controls and to assess the effect of the position of the soccer players on the echocardiographic findings. Methods. M Mode 2D and Doppler echocardiographic examination were carried o ut on 83 professional league soccer players and 52 healthy controls. Results. Soccer players had increased interventricular septum (1.14+/-0.13 cm vs 0.99+/-0.17 cm, p<0.001) left ventricular posterior wall (1.08+/-0.16 cm vs 0.91+/-0.13 cm, p<0.001) thickness, increased left ventricular diast olic diameter (5.24+/-0.40 cm vs 4.88+/-0.43 cm, p<0.001), volume (133+/-23 ml vs 113+/-22 ml, p<0.001) and increased left ventricular mass index (142 +/-28 g/m(2) vs 103+/-23 g/m(2), p<0.001) compared to controls, Soccer play ers had greater mitral E wave to A ware ratio (2.08+/-0.53 vs 1.65+/-0.43, p<0.001) compared to controls, Soccer players were subgrouped according to their position in the play as goal keepers, defensive, midfielder, and offe nsive players. Comparison among defensive, midfield and offensive players r evealed subtle differences between defensive and midfield players, Right ve ntricular dimensions were higher in goal keepers compared to midfielders du e to the greater body surface area of the goal keepers (2.8+/-0.4 cm vs 2.4 +/-0.5 cm, p<0.05). Left ventricle end diastolic dimension were similar bet ween groups but when these dimensions were corrected for the greater height of the defensive players the difference between midfields and defensive pl ayers became significant (3.05+/-0.18 vs 2.89+/-0.22, p=0.05). On Doppler f low parameters the ratio of peak E wave to A wave velocity (2.27+/-0.55 vs 1.84+/-0.36, p<0.05) was increased in midfield players compared to defensiv e players. Conclusions. It was concluded that soccer players had greater left ventricu lar mall thickness, volume and mass compared to controls. But the effect of the position of the players on the measured cardiac dimensions were minima l. These subtle findings mere explained by the leveling effect of the prayi ng system and training, and lack of physical training during the previous m onth.