Age at start of endurance training is associated with patterns of left ventricular hypertrophy in middle-aged runners

• Published in: International journal of cardiology 2018-09, Vol.267, p.133-138
• Main Authors: Ryffel, Christoph P., Eser, Prisca, Trachsel, Lukas D., Brugger, Nicolas, Wilhelm, Matthias
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Age of Onset; Athletes; Correlation of Data; Echocardiography - methods; Endurance Training - adverse effects; Endurance Training - methods; Exercise training; Heart Ventricles - diagnostic imaging; Humans; Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular - epidemiology; Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular - etiology; Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular - physiopathology; Left ventricular hypertrophy; Left ventricular mass; Male; Middle Aged; Switzerland - epidemiology; Ventricular Remodeling
• ISSN: 0167-5273; 1874-1754
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijcard.2018.04.111

Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) is a physiological adaptation to long-term endurance training. We investigated the impact of age at start of endurance training on LV geometry in a cohort of male, middle-aged, non-elite endurance athletes. A total of 121 healthy, normotensive, Caucasian participants of a 10-mile race were recruited and assessed with an echocardiogram and a comprehensive interview. Athletes were classified based on patterns of LVH. Thirty-five athletes (31%) had LVH. Athletes with eccentric LVH (16%) were significantly younger at start of endurance training compared to athletes with concentric LVH (15%, 14 ± 5 years vs. 31 ± 8 years; P