Heart failure & cardiomyopathiesCross-sectional study
The recreational athlete’s heart: sex-specific three-dimensional echocardiographic reference values in relation to VO₂peak
- Cross-sectional study
Authors' conclusion
The V̇O₂peak-associated enlargement was sex-independent; however, at a given V̇O₂peak, men exhibited greater remodelling than women.
Study context
- Population
- Healthy recreationally active adults (mean age 27 ± 4 years; 44% female)
- Participants
- 291 adults
- Exposure
- Low vs moderate vs high exercise capacity, by sex
- Outcome
- Sex- and fitness-specific 3DE reference values (LV, RV, LA volumes, function, LV mass, ratios) by V̇O2peak
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
LVEDV/m², median (10th-90th percentile)
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
LV mass/volume ratio (decreased slightly with fitness; no relevant sex differences)
Left ventricular (LV)/right ventricular (RV) and LV/left atrial (LA) volume ratios, EF
- LV/RV volume ratio, unchanged across fitness levels (mean ± SD)
- 1.1 ± 0.1
- LV/LA volume ratio, females, unchanged
- 2.8 ± 0.4
- LV/LA volume ratio, males, unchanged
- 2.9 ± 0.4
- EF did not change across fitness levels
Original publication
The recreational athlete’s heart: sex-specific three-dimensional echocardiographic reference values in relation to VO₂peak. Eur J Prev Cardiol. Published 3 December 2025. doi:10.1093/eurjpc/zwaf758
Summarised from the published abstract; every number is checked against it