Cardio-oncology & otherCohort study
Impact of Prolonged Spaceflight on Cardiac Structure and Function: An Exploratory Longitudinal Observational Study
- Prospective observational study
- within-subject
- repeated-measures
- longitudinal
- exploratory
Authors' conclusion
In this small exploratory study, initial changes in LV chamber volumes, myocardial mechanics, cardiac output, and stroke volume with transition from Earth's gravitational loads to microgravity were transient and stabilized during flight.
Study context
- Population
- Astronauts on long-duration flights to the International Space Station9 male
- Participants
- 13 participants
- Exposure
- Early in-flight microgravity vs preflight supine and upright Earth posture
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
LV structure and function, early in-flight (14 days) vs preflight · 14 days in-flight
Early in-flight values similar to preflight upright posture, except left ventricular (LV) longitudinal strain magnitude increase (−14.5%±1.79% vs −16.9%±2.03%)
P=0.006
Reduction in LV global circumferential strain (−26.09%±1.76% vs −23.3%±3.22%)
P=0.016
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Simulated Martian gravity (⅜ G) after ≈6 months in space
- No volumetric or hemodynamic measure showed greater load or hemodynamic stress than upright posture on Earth before flight
Original publication
Impact of Prolonged Spaceflight on Cardiac Structure and Function: An Exploratory Longitudinal Observational Study. Circulation. Published 15 September 2026. doi:10.1161/circulationaha.125.078665
Summarised from the published abstract; every number is checked against it