Arrhythmias & electrophysiologyCross-sectional study
Myocardial fibrosis and its relationship with ventricular arrhythmias and reduced ventricular systolic function in young and veteran endurance athletes
- Cross-sectional study
Authors' conclusion
Middle-aged athletes more frequently exhibit myocardial fibrosis than young athletes and middle-aged non-athletes. Non-hinge-point fibrosis is present in up to one-fifth of middle-aged athletes and predictive of a higher burden of both unifocal and multifocal ventricular ectopy. Reduced systolic function is more prevalent in athletes and not predicted by fibrosis.
Study context
- Population
- Male endurance athletes and non-athletic controls without known cardiac disease
- Participants
- 296 / 138 / 66
- Exposure
- Young athletes vs Middle-aged athletes vs Controls
- Young athletesn = 296
- Middle-aged athletesn = 138
- Controlsn = 66reference
- Outcome
- Prevalence of ventricular fibrosis (CMR) and its association with VAs (24-h Holter) and reduced ventricular systolic function
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Middle-aged athletes vs Young athletes: P < 0.001 · Middle-aged athletes vs Controls: P = 0.045
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Reduced LVEF and/or RVEF — Middle-aged athletes vs Controls · 23 vs. 8%
P = 0.009
| Outcome | Young athletes | Middle-aged athletes | Controls | P value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reduced LVEF and/or RVEF — Middle-aged athletes vs Young athletes · 23 vs. 22% | P = 0.906 | |||
| VAs, middle-aged vs young athletes · non-sustained VT | 2% | 8 | Not reported in the abstract | P = 0.006 |
| VAs, middle-aged vs young athletes · >100 PVCs/24 h | 5% | 13 | Not reported in the abstract | P = 0.004 |
| VAs, middle-aged vs young athletes · multifocal ventricular ectopy | 4% | 11 | Not reported in the abstract | P = 0.003 |
| VAs, middle-aged vs young athletes · complex ventricular ectopy | 10% | 25 | Not reported in the abstract | P < 0.001 |
Ventricular arrhythmias (VAs), middle-aged vs young athletes
- No significant differences in VAs vs controls
Original publication
Summarised from the published abstract; every number is checked against it