Left Ventricular Strain Modifications after Maximal Exercise in Athletes: A Speckle Tracking Study

• Published in: Echocardiography (Mount Kisco, N.Y.) N.Y.), 2015-06, Vol.32 (6), p.920-927
• Main Authors: Santoro, Amato, Alvino, Federico, Antonelli, Giovanni, Cameli, Matteo, Bertini, Matteo, Molle, Roberta, Mondillo, Sergio
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; athlete's heart; Echocardiography - methods; Elastic Modulus - physiology; Elasticity Imaging Techniques - methods; exercise; Heart Ventricles - diagnostic imaging; Humans; Male; Physical Endurance - physiology; Reproducibility of Results; Sensitivity and Specificity; strain; Stress, Mechanical; Stroke Volume; Swimming - physiology; Tensile Strength - physiology; Ventricular Function, Left - physiology
• ISSN: 0742-2822; 1540-8175
• DOI: 10.1111/echo.12791

Purpose The increase in systolic indexes from rest (R) to exercise is achieved by combination of enhanced heart rate (HR) and stroke volume (SV). Aim of this study was to evaluate left ventricular (LV) longitudinal, circumferential, and torsional components immediately after a maximal intensity exercise (ME) by speckle tracking echocardiography (STE). Methods Twenty‐seven male water polo players performed an ME that consisted of 6 repeats of 100 m freestyle swim sets. An echocardiographic examination was performed before and after ME. STE was performed to obtain the analysis of LV myocardial deformation. Results There were no differences between R and ME regarding LV longitudinal strains (PVLS). Apical circumferential LV strain (AVCS) and LV longitudinal strain rate (SR) increased at ME with respect to R (R: −23.1 ± 4.9%; ME: −28.4 ± 7.6%, P