Left ventricular mass index and sports: the influence of different sports activities and arterial blood pressure

Background: The mechanisms by which endurance training produces physiologic al hypertrophy have been thoroughly investigated but not with young athlete s. The aim of our study was to investigate arterial blood pressure exercise responses in young athletes who started heavy training by the age of 11, p articipating in metabolically different sports (cycling, kayaking, and socc er) and to analyse the influence that arterial blood pressure at maximum ex ercise and VO2 max could have on the development of cardiac mass in these s ubjects. Subjects and methods: We studied a group of well trained normotens ive male subjects, comprising 37 cyclists, 15 soccer players and 12 canoeis ts (mean age, 16 +/- 1 years). Evaluation included a clinical history and p hysical examination, M-mode and two-dimensional echocardiography, 12-lead r esting electrocardiogram and a graded exercise test with direct determinati on of VO2 max. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure were measured at rest and maximum exercise. Determination of the left ventricular mass index (LVM I) was performed using Devereux's formula with correction for the body surf ace area. Results: Cyclists showed values of LVMI in g m(-2) significantly higher than those of other subjects (123 vs. 92 and 113). Canoeists showed the maximal arterial blood pressure at maximum exercise in mmHg (190 vs. 17 2 and 170) and cyclists showed the maximal VO2 ml kg(-1) min(-1) uptake (57 .6 vs. 48.5 and 53.3). A linear correlation was found between LVMI and VO2 max (r = 0.4727, P < 0.001) and this correlation was also significant with systolic blood pressure at maximum exercise (r = 0.2909, P < 0.01). No diff erences in LVMI were found when comparing those subjects who presented syst olic blood pressure at maximum exercise equal or greater than 195 mmHg with those who presented less than this value. Conclusions: it can be concluded that VO2 max is the variable that better correlates with the LVMI. Athlete s who reach greater systolic blood pressures at peak exercise have a tenden cy to develop greater LVMI. In comparison with soccer players and canoeists , cyclists are the sportsmen who develop a greater LVMI and VO2 max. (C) 20 00 Elsevier Science ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.