Sex Differences in the Impact of Exercise Volume on Subclinical Coronary Atherosclerosis: A Meta-Analysis
Pooled result · Difference in CAC scores between athletes and nonathletesResult — go to the resultMean difference 31.62 95% CI 10.66–52.58Authors' conclusion
Males with high-volume exercise training (>3,000 MET-min/wk) exhibited a higher burden of calcified plaque by CAC score than male nonathletes, while no such difference was observed in female athletes.
Study context
- Population
- Athletes and nonathletes with subclinical coronary artery atherosclerosis assessed by coronary artery calcification (CAC) scoring or CCTA
- Participants
- 61,150 athletes · 9 observational studies
- Comparison
- Athletes vs nonathletes
- Outcome
- Difference in CAC scores between athletes and nonathletes
Methodological detailsstratified by sex and exercise volume
- Stratified by sex and exercise volume
Pooled result
As reported in the abstract
Mean difference
31.62
95% CI 10.66–52.58
P < 0.001
Male athletes >3,000 MET-min/wk vs nonathlete males
mean difference 31.62 (95% CI 10.66–52.58); P < 0.001
- No difference in CAC for male athletes with 1,500 to 3,000 metabolic equivalents of task (MET)-min/wk
- P = 0.93
- No difference in CAC for female athletes with an exercise volume of 1,500 MET-min/wk or greater
- P = 0.39 and P = 0.07
Further pooled results
Calcified plaque number and volume by CCTA (secondary endpoint)
- Significant sex-specific differences on the association of exercise volume and calcified plaque number and volume by CCTA
Original publication
Sex Differences in the Impact of Exercise Volume on Subclinical Coronary Atherosclerosis: A Meta-Analysis. JACC Adv. Published 14 May 2025. doi:10.
Summarised from the published abstract; every number is checked against it