Meta-analysis
Normal echocardiographic and electrocardiographic indices in young female athletes: a meta-analysis across sex, types of sports, races, and ethnicities
- Systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors' conclusion
We confirmed sex-specific left ventricular remodelling, with more eccentric remodelling in female athletes. Black female athletes showed more T-wave inversions than female athletes of other races/ethnicities.
Study context
- Population
- Young female athletes aged 18–3541 studies
- Participants
- 11,956 / 549 / 14,014
- Comparison
- Female athletes vs female non-athletes and male athletes; female athletes by race/ethnicity
- Female athletesn = 11,956
- Female non-athletesn = 549reference
- Male athletesn = 14,014
- Outcome
- Normal echocardiographic (ECHO) and ECG indices in young female athletes
Pooled result
As reported in the abstract
| Group | LV end-diastolic volume index | Left ventricular mass index (LVMi) | LA volume index |
|---|---|---|---|
| Female athletes | 72.5 (66.3-78.8) mL/m² | 80.8 (75.9-85.7) g/m² | 29.2 (25.4-32.9) mL/m² |
| Female non-athletes | 55.4 (46.4-64.7) mL/m² | 62.1(56.6-67.6) g/m² | 22.4 (18.7-26.1) mL/m² |
- Female athletes vs Female non-athletes: P = 0.001 — LV end-diastolic volume index
- Female athletes vs Female non-athletes: P < 0.0001 — LVMi
- Female athletes vs Female non-athletes: P = 0.01 — LA volume index
Further pooled results
g/m²
| Outcome | Female athletes | Female non-athletes | Male athletes | Estimate | P value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LVMi, male vs female athletes · 21% higher in male athletes | 81.4 (95% CI 76.6–86.2) | Not reported in the abstract | 98.3 (95% CI 89.7–106.9) | 21% | P < 0.0001 |
- T-wave inversions on electrocardiographic (ECG) in female athletes, by race/ethnicity: Black 15.2 (95% CI 7.3–28.8) %
- T-wave inversions on ECG in female athletes, by race/ethnicity: White 5.4 (95% CI 2.9–9.9) %
- T-wave inversions on ECG in female athletes, by race/ethnicity: Pacific Islanders 2.6 (95% CI 0.7–9.9) %
- T-wave inversions on ECG in female athletes, by race/ethnicity: Metis 0.7 (95% CI 0.04–9.7) %
- T-wave inversions on ECG in female athletes, by race/ethnicity: P = 0.04
Original publication
Normal echocardiographic and electrocardiographic indices in young female athletes: a meta-analysis across sex, types of sports, races, and ethnicities. Eur J Prev Cardiol. Published 25 November 2025. doi:10.1093/eurjpc/zwaf755
Summarised from the published abstract; every number is checked against it