Department of Cardiology, Samsun Training and Research Hospital, Samsun, Turkey. Email:
Department of Cardiology, Faculty of Medicine Hospital, Aydin Adnan Menderes University, Aydin, Turkey.
Cardiovasc J Afr. 2023;34(2):109-113. doi: 10.5830/CVJA-2023-010. Epub 2023 Mar 22.
Intensive physical activity in athletes leads to considerable changes in the morphology and physiology of the left atrium through physiological, exercise-induced remodelling.
This study aimed to assess the mechanical and electrophysiological changes in professional football players using electrocardiographic and echocardiographic assessment tools.
This prospective, case-control study was performed between February and June 2022. The population consisted of elite male football players ( = 49, group F) as the study group, and healthy male non-athlete individuals of matching age ( = 50, group C) as the control group. All participants underwent electrocardiographic and echocardiographic (two-dimensional and tissue Doppler) examinations. Volumetric and functional assessment of the left atrium was identified as the study's primary outcome.
There was no significant difference between the groups in terms of demographic and morphometric characteristics ( > 0.05). Maximum and minimum P waves and PR-interval duration were significantly higher in group F than in group C ( = 0.011, = 0.005 and < 0.001). Diameter, maximum and minimum volumes of the left atrium, and their corresponding indexes were significantly increased in group F ( < 0.0). Ejection fraction of the left atrium was significantly lower in group F than in group C ( = 0.001). Pulmonary acceleration time and tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion was significantly higher in the football players ( = 0.023 and < 0.001).
Increased diameter, maximum and minimum volumes of the left atrium, and their corresponding indexes could be demonstrated in the elite football players. The morphological and functional changes in the left atrium might be a physiological consequence of left atrial cardiac remodelling to intensive and chronic training.
运动员的剧烈身体活动会导致左心房通过生理性、运动诱导性重塑发生形态和生理学变化。
本研究旨在使用心电图和超声心动图评估工具评估职业足球运动员的机械和电生理变化。
这是一项 2022 年 2 月至 6 月进行的前瞻性病例对照研究。该人群包括精英男性足球运动员（n = 49，F 组）作为研究组，以及年龄匹配的健康男性非运动员个体（n = 50，C 组）作为对照组。所有参与者都接受了心电图和超声心动图（二维和组织多普勒）检查。左心房的容积和功能评估被确定为研究的主要结果。
两组在人口统计学和形态学特征方面无显著差异（>0.05）。F 组的最大和最小 P 波以及 PR 间期持续时间明显高于 C 组（=0.011，=0.005 和 <0.001）。F 组的左心房直径、最大和最小容积及其相应指数明显增加（<0.0）。左心房射血分数明显低于 C 组（=0.001）。足球运动员的肺动脉加速时间和三尖瓣环平面收缩期位移明显较高（=0.023 和 <0.001）。
在精英足球运动员中可以证明左心房直径、最大和最小容积及其相应指数增加。左心房的形态和功能变化可能是左心房心脏重塑对剧烈和慢性训练的生理后果。
