ECSS Paris 2023: OP-MH14
INTRODUCTION: This study aimed to investigate the electrocardiograms (ECGs) characteristics of Chinese elite athletes with respect to their sex, years of training, and type of sports, as well as to assess the impact of these factors on abnormal ECG findings for clinical diagnosis. Currently, there is no standardized diagnostic criterion for sports-related cardiac conditions in China, and clinical diagnosis are made mostly based on international standards. Existing studies on exercise and ECGs are predominantly focused on male athletes, with relatively fewer studies on female athletes. METHODS: A total of 891 athletes’ ECGs were included in the analysis after excluding duplicates and unclear recordings, and consisted of 507 male and 384 female athletes, with a mean age of 21.3 ± 3.9 years; the training duration ranged from 4 to 20 years, and involved 26 different sports disciplines. The ECGs were classified into three groups based on the 2010 ESC guidelines: Group 0 (normal ECG), Group 1 (common training-related ECG changes), and Group 2 (uncommon non-training-related ECG changes). The sports disciplines were categorized as skill sports, power sports, endurance sports, and mixed sports according to the recommendations of the European Association of Preventive Cardiology (EAPC). The athletes were further divided into three groups based on training duration: 4‒6 years, 7‒10 years, and ≥11 years. The ECG changes in each group were RESULTS: The occurrence of common training-related ECG changes was significantly higher in male athletes than in female athletes (58.9% vs. 47.4%). No significant difference was observed in the occurrence of uncommon non-training-related ECG changes between the different genders, although the occurrence rate was higher in male athletes. There was no clear trend in uncommon non-training-related ECG findings with respect to the increase in training duration. The occurrence of Group 1 abnormal ECGs was significantly different between the two genders, and across the different sports disciplines, and training durations CONCLUSION: Of the Chinese elite athletes, 34.7% had completely normal ECGs, 54% had common training-related ECG changes, and 11.3% had uncommon non-training-related ECG changes. The common training-related ECG changes included sinus bradycardia (including sinus arrhythmia), isolated QRS voltage elevation, early repolarization, incomplete right bundle branch block, and first-degree atrioventricular block. T-wave inversion, right-axis deviation, and pathological Q waves were more common in uncommon non-training-related ECG changes. The occurrence of common training-related ECG changes increased with training duration, suggesting an adaptation to training. Among these changes, male athletes had a higher occurrence rate compared to female ones, particularly in sinus bradycardia and isolated QRS voltage elevation.
Read CV 辰 梁ECSS Paris 2023: OP-MH14
INTRODUCTION: The Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing (CPET) is an important tool for the analysis of cardiorespiratory fitness and also for the assessment of autonomic function. This study aims to verify the effects of using treadmill support during CPET on autonomic modulation in young adults. METHODS: Male (n=18; 21.38 ± 2.35) and female (n=17; 21.17 ± 3.37) health care university students were recruited to perform two CPETs on non- consecutive. First, the subjects performed the CPET holding the treadmill support (T1) and, after seven days, they returned for the same test, but without holding the treadmill (T2). During testing, subjects were using a gas analyzer for metabolic responses (K5), COSMED) and a cardiac monitor to record the RR (autonomic function) interval of heartbeats (V800, Polar). RESULTS: When using the two-way analysis of variance for repeated measures, it was found that the metabolic and cardiovascular responses were superior, especially in the initial stages (2, 3 and 4), when the test was performed by holding the treadmill. When the domains of time and frequency of HRV were observed, disregarding the stages, it was possible to verify differences between T1 and T2, especially for males. When determining the association between VO2 and HRV variables in each stage of CPET, it was found particularly for males that the increase in load in the initial stages (one to three) implied an increase in the modulation of domain variables of time and not lien when the subject performed the test holding the bar during the test. For women, no associations were identified for either holding or not holding the treadmill in CPET. CONCLUSION: The act of holding the treadmills front bar during CPET implies a lower metabolic response in the stages that precede the ventilatory threshold, for most variables. Likewise, HRV undergoes significant changes when held on the treadmill, particularly in the early stages, particularly for men.
Read CV Anderson UlbrichECSS Paris 2023: OP-MH14
INTRODUCTION: SARS CoV-2, the respiratory virus causing COVID-19, is known to affect many organs and systems. Although most healthy, immune competent athletes fully recover, some continue to experience long term symptoms. Little is known about the causative mechanism of this phenomenon, however emerging evidence suggests that cardiovascular autonomic dysfunction may play a role. Autonomic dysfunction can manifest in many ways including disturbances in blood pressure, resting heart rate (RHR) and Heart Rate Variability (HRV). These parameters can be easily measured with popular wearable devices. To our knowledge this is the first study to prospectively investigate the effect of COVID-19 on cardiac autonomic function in American football players by using a commercially available wearable device. METHODS: Forty American football players from the same team were enrolled in this prospective matched cohort study. Twenty who recovered from COVID-19 who were cleared to play after normal physical examination and normal cardiac testing (hs-troponin, echocardiography and cardiac MRI), and a matched cohort of 20 who were antigen negative at baseline and never tested positive for COVID-19 throughout the study period. All participants underwent 6-times per week COVID-19 testing throughout the study period. The control group was matched based on position including the following three groups; Linemen (L), Large Skill (LS) and Small Skill (SS). All participants wore a multi-sensor wrist device (WHOOP Inc., Boston, MA) that measured RHR, HRV, respiratory rate (RR) and hours sleep (HS) per night throughout a 6-week period during their competitive season. Statistical analyses were performed to evaluate the association between each individual categorical characteristic variable and COVID-19 history. Difference scores from last and baseline values for the entire study duration were calculated. General linear model analysis was done considering COVID-19 infection status and player position. RESULTS: Twenty-nine players completed the study. Eleven were removed, 8 from the COVID-19 cohort and 3 controls because they did not wear the wrist band long enough to acquire a baseline. There was no statistically significant difference between the groups apart from the LS subgroup with a higher body mass index for the COVID-19 group (p=0.0460). Throughout the study period there was a statistically significant difference (p=0.0434) between RHR mean for the SS group with a higher mean of the mean in the COVID-19 cohort compared to the control group. There was no statistically significant difference between player position groups for any other variables. CONCLUSION: COVID-19 does not appear to have significant long-term effects on HRV, RR and HS in American football players who fully recovered from COVID-19. Although the study group size was small, elevated RHR in the Small Skill group may indicate prolonged autonomic dysfunction after COVID-19 in these lean, highly conditioned athletes.
Read CV Sami RifatECSS Paris 2023: OP-MH14