[High performance athlete's heart: Results of a cross-sectional survey conducted in Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso]. / Le cœur d'athlète de haut niveau d'entraînement : résultats d'une enquête transversale menée à Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY To describe the clinical, electrocardiographic and echocardiographic features of the athlete's heart. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study conducted from August 2015 to February 2016 in the city of Bobo-Dioulasso in Burkina Faso. Athletes of high level of training (at least 8hours of weekly training, for more than six months regardless of the type of sport) have benefited from a clinical examination, an electrocardiography and a cardiac ultrasound rest to look for electrical, morphological and functional cardiac changes. RESULTS: The 192 athletes with an athlete heart included had a median age of 24 years (IQI 21-27). The median seniority in high performance sport was 6 years (IQI 4-8) and 10hours weekly training sessions (IQI 10-10). The consumption of tobacco, alcohol, tea/coffee, medicines and/or energy drinks was reported respectively in 4.2%, 7.3%, 99.0%, 53.4%. A history of exertional discomfort was reported by 4.7 athletes. Electrical modifications were present in 92.1%. Sinus bradycardia was the most common abnormality (75.0% of cases). The prevalence of left atrium dilatation and left ventricular dilation was 72.4 and 22.4%, respectively. That of left ventricular hypertrophy was 9.0%. CONCLUSION: In the high-performance athlete, the prevalence of electrical, morphological and functional changes was high. These need to be known by practitioners to differentiate them from cardiac pathology.