Cardiovascular effects of COVID-19 lockdown in professional football players.
Panminerva Med
; 64(4): 497-505, 2022 Dec.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-33565761
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
The COVID-19 pandemic with the stay-at-home orders and lockdown has dramatically forced athletes to stop team training and competitions, causing deep changes in habits and lifestyle. Aim of this study was to evaluate in a retrospective single center study the cardiovascular (CV) health and fitness of elite football player after COVID-19 lockdown in Italy and to compare such findings with the 2019 off-season period, in order to identify potential differences in the CV features and outcomes.METHODS:
All 29 professional football players of the first male team were enrolled before resuming training and competition after COVID-19 lockdown and underwent several exams including physical examination, resting and stress electrocardiography (ECG), echocardiography, spirometry and blood tests.RESULTS:
Median age was 27 years (23; 31), with no athlete being COVID-19 positive at the time of the evaluation. In comparison with the usual off-season 2-month detraining, significant differences were found for left ventricular (LV) mass (189 g [172; 212] vs. 181 g [167; 206], P=0.024) and LV Mass Index for body surface area (94 g/m2 [85; 104] vs. 88 g/m2 [79.5; 101.5], P=0.017), while LV mass/fat free mass remained unchanged (2.8 g/kg [2.6; 2.9] vs. 2.9 g/kg [2.6; 3.2], P=0.222). Respiratory function and metabolic profile were improved, while no significant changes were found in ECG findings, at rest and during exercise.CONCLUSIONS:
Prolonged abstinence from training and competitions induced by lockdown elicited significant changes in comparison with off-season in parameters ascribable to detraining, as the changes in LV mass, in respiratory function and in metabolic profile.
Texto completo:
1
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
COVID-19
Tipo de estudo:
Prognostic_studies
Limite:
Adult
/
Humans
/
Male
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Panminerva Med
Ano de publicação:
2022
Tipo de documento:
Article