Prevention & lipidsMeta-analysis
Flow-Mediated Dilation in Competitive Athletes: Non-linear Associations and Haemodynamic Characteristics
- Systematic review and meta-analysis
- three-level random-effects model
- GRADE
Authors' conclusion
No clear overall difference in FMD was observed between athletes and controls.
Study context
- Population
- Controlled studies reporting resting ultrasound-assessed conduit-artery flow-mediated dilation (FMD) in competitive athletes and non-athletic controls
- Comparison
- Competitive athletes vs non-athletic controls
- Outcome
- Resting FMD
Pooled result
As reported in the abstract
SMD
0.33
95% CI −0.01 to 0.66
P = 0.06
Athletes vs Controls
SMD 0.33 (95% CI −0.01 to 0.66); P = 0.06
Further pooled results
FMD by sport modality (subgroup)
- Sport modality associated with variation in effect estimates; endurance athletes showed higher FMD than controls; evidence for strength and mixed-modality sports less conclusive
FMD vs age and VO2max (exploratory quadratic meta-regression)
- Possible curved associations with age and VO2max; fitted turning points not validated physiological thresholds
- exploratory
Original publication
Flow-Mediated Dilation in Competitive Athletes: Non-linear Associations and Haemodynamic Characteristics. Eur J Prev Cardiol. Published 16 September 2026. doi:10.1093/eurjpc/zwag493
Summarised from the published abstract; every number is checked against it