Atrial Size and Function in Athletes.

We wanted to explore whether change in LA (left atrium) size would influence LA function, or increase regurgitation in the atrioventricular valves. 595 male elite football players and 47 non-athletic controls were included. End-systolic LA volume and RA area and end-diastolic LV volume and RV area were measured by 2-dimensional (2D) echocardiography Pulsed and colour Doppler were used to estimate tricuspid and mitral regurgitations. 2D longitudinal strain of the 50 football players with the largest LA volumes were compared with the 50 players with the smallest LA volumes. The LA volumes in some athletes with large atria were more than tripled, compared to athletes with small atria. 2D strain however, could not reveal any impairment of LA function in the players with the largest atria, compared to those with the smallest LA. Tricuspid valve regurgitation was found in 343 (58%) of the athletes, compared to 17 (36%) of the controls (p<0.01), while mitral regurgitation was found in 116 (20%) football players and 7 (15%) controls (NS). Furthermore, the RA area was significantly larger in athletes with tricuspid regurgitation compared to athletes without. The present study demonstrated a huge variation in atrial size between the athletes. This variation, however, had no impact on LA function. Tricuspid regurgitation was significantly more prevalent among the athletes, than among the controls.

The Scandinavian athlete's heart; echocardiographic characteristics of male professional football players.

This investigation explores the cardiac four-chamber remodeling response to training in male players in Norwegian professional football league, and ethnicity as determinants in the development of athlete's heart. Standard 2D echocardiographic examination and analysis of all four cavities were performed in 504 football players of Caucasian origin, 49 of African origin, and 47 matched Caucasian controls (<3 h training /week). All results were indexed to body surface area (BSA). Most athletes exhibited BSA-indexed values within normal ranges. Left ventricle (LV) mass was equally enlarged in both groups of athletes, but LV relative wall thickness and right ventricular (RV) relative wall thickness were increased in Africans compared with Caucasian athletes (0.37 ± 0.06 vs 0.33 ± 0.06 and 0.25 ± 0.06 vs 0.22 ± 0.04, respectively). Both LV and RV were smaller in Africans than in Caucasian athletes (67.8 ± 12.0 ml/m(2) vs 73.6 ± 13.2 ml/m(2) and 12.8 ± 2.1 vs 13.7 ± 2.4 cm(2) /m(2) , respectively, both P < 0.05), while left and right atria increased similarly. This first large-scale echocardiographic survey of elite football players in a Scandinavian league suggests use of BSA-indexed upper normal limits for both LV and RV in athletes. African athletes had significantly more concentric remodeled LV and RV than the Caucasian athletes.