Left ventricular wall motion during diastolic filling in endurance-trainedathletes

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess left ventricular (LV) wall motion in highly endurance-trained athletes to evaluate LV diastolic funct ion in physiologically hypertrophied hearts. Background: Diastolic filling dynamics have previously been examined in endurance-trained athletes by mea suring pulsed-wave mitral inflow velocities during the early and atrial fil ling phase, indicating an unimpaired LV function. Assessment of LV wall mot ion may give additional information about the LV diastolic function in endu rance-trained athletes. Methods: Left ventricular mass (LVM) and volume (LV V) were determined by M-mode echocardiography. Peak LV wall motion in the r egion of the basal septum close to the mitral anulus were measured during t he early rapid and atrial filling phase by tissue Doppler in 30 endurance-t rained athletes (T) and 16 sedentary control subjects (C) presumed to be he althy. Results: Myocardial LVM and LVV in T (LVM 159.4 +/- 18.0 g.m(-2), LV V 100.4 +/- 13.0 mL.m(-2)) were significantly higher than in C (LVM 105.7 /- 12.0 m(-2), LVV 70.1 +/- 11.9 mL.m(-2)), and heart rate (HR) was signifi cantly lower (HR C: 69.6 +/- 11.0 bpm, T 50.9 +/- 8.7 bpm), which is consis tent with endurance training (P < 0.01 for both). Peak LV wall motion durin g the early rapid filling phase did not differ significantly between the gr oups (T: 10.69 +/- 1.46cm.s(-1); C: 10.61 +/- 1.52 cm.s(-1)). Peak atrial w all motion was significantly lower in T (4.53 +/- 0.84 cm.s(-1)) versus C ( 5.74 +/- 0.75 cm.s(-1)), and the ratio of peak early diastolic to atrial wa ll motion was consequently higher in athletes (P < 0.01 for both). Conclusi on: Regional wall motion at the basal septum near the mitral anulus during the early rapid filling phase is not altered by an increase in LVM or LVV w hen associated with endurance training.