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Miljoen H, Favere K, Van De Heyning C, Corteville B, Dausin C, Herbots L, Teulingkx T, Bekhuis Y, Lyssens M, Bogaert J, Heidbuchel H, Claessen G. Low rates of myocardial fibrosis and ventricular arrhythmias in recreational athletes after SARS-CoV-2 infection. Front Cardiovasc Med 2024; 11:1372028. [PMID: 38628312 PMCID: PMC11018940 DOI: 10.3389/fcvm.2024.1372028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2024] [Accepted: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction High rates of cardiac involvement were reported in the beginning of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. This led to anxiety in the athletic population. The current study was set up to assess the prevalence of myocardial fibrosis and ventricular arrhythmias in recreational athletes with the recent severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. Methods Consecutive adult recreational athletes (≥18 years old, ≥4 h of mixed type or endurance sports/week) underwent systematic cardiac evaluation after a prior confirmed COVID-19 infection. Evaluation included clinical history, electrocardiogram (ECG), 5-day Holter monitoring, and cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging with simultaneous measurement of high-sensitive cardiac Troponin I. Data from asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic athletes (Group 1) were compared with those with moderate to severe symptoms (Groups 2-3). Furthermore, a comparison with a historical control group of athletes without COVID-19 (Master@Heart) was made. Results In total, 35 athletes (18 Group 1, 10 female, 36.9 ± 2.2 years, mean 143 ± 20 days following diagnosis) were evaluated. The baseline characteristics for the Group 1 and Groups 2-3 athletes were similar. None of the athletes showed overt myocarditis on CMR based on the updated Lake Louise criteria for diagnosis of myocarditis. The prevalence of non-ischemic late gadolinium enhancement [1 (6%) Group 1 vs. 2 (12%) Groups 2-3; p = 0.603] or ventricular arrhythmias [1 Group 1 athlete showed non-sustained ventricular tachycardia (vs. 0 in Groups 2-3: p = 1.000)] were not statistically different between the groups. When the male athletes were compared with the Master@Heart athletes, again no differences regarding these criteria were found. Conclusion In our series of recreational athletes with prior confirmed COVID-19, we found no evidence of ongoing myocarditis, and no more detection of fibrosis or ventricular arrhythmias than in a comparable athletic pre-COVID cohort. This points to a much lower cardiac involvement of COVID-19 in athletes than originally suggested.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hielko Miljoen
- Department of Cardiology, Antwerp University Hospital, Antwerp, Belgium
- Research Group Cardiovascular Diseases, Department GENCOR, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Kasper Favere
- Department of Cardiology, Antwerp University Hospital, Antwerp, Belgium
- Research Group Cardiovascular Diseases, Department GENCOR, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
- Department of Internal Medicine, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Caroline Van De Heyning
- Department of Cardiology, Antwerp University Hospital, Antwerp, Belgium
- Research Group Cardiovascular Diseases, Department GENCOR, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Ben Corteville
- Department of Cardiology, Jan Palfijn Hospital, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Christophe Dausin
- Exercise Physiology Research Group, Department of Movement Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Lieven Herbots
- Department of Cardiology, Hartcentrum, Jessa Hospital, Hasselt, Belgium
- Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Hasselt University, Hasselt, Belgium
| | | | - Youri Bekhuis
- Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Hasselt University, Hasselt, Belgium
- Department of Cardiology, Leuven University Hospitals, Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Malou Lyssens
- Exercise Physiology Research Group, Department of Movement Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Jan Bogaert
- Department of Imaging and Pathology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Radiology, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Hein Heidbuchel
- Department of Cardiology, Antwerp University Hospital, Antwerp, Belgium
- Research Group Cardiovascular Diseases, Department GENCOR, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
- Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Hasselt University, Hasselt, Belgium
| | - Guido Claessen
- Department of Cardiology, Hartcentrum, Jessa Hospital, Hasselt, Belgium
- Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Hasselt University, Hasselt, Belgium
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2
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Carrabba N, Amico MA, Guaricci AI, Carella MC, Maestrini V, Monosilio S, Pedrotti P, Ricci F, Monti L, Figliozzi S, Torlasco C, Barison A, Baggiano A, Scatteia A, Pontone G, Dellegrottaglie S. CMR Mapping: The 4th-Era Revolution in Cardiac Imaging. J Clin Med 2024; 13:337. [PMID: 38256470 PMCID: PMC10816333 DOI: 10.3390/jcm13020337] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2023] [Revised: 01/04/2024] [Accepted: 01/05/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging has witnessed substantial progress with the advent of parametric mapping techniques, most notably T1 and T2 mapping. These advanced techniques provide valuable insights into a wide range of cardiac conditions, including ischemic heart disease, cardiomyopathies, inflammatory cardiomyopathies, heart valve disease, and athlete's heart. Mapping could be the first sign of myocardial injury and oftentimes precedes symptoms, changes in ejection fraction, and irreversible myocardial remodeling. The ability of parametric mapping to offer a quantitative assessment of myocardial tissue properties addresses the limitations of conventional CMR methods, which often rely on qualitative or semiquantitative data. However, challenges persist, especially in terms of standardization and reference value establishment, hindering the wider clinical adoption of parametric mapping. Future developments should prioritize the standardization of techniques to enhance their clinical applicability, ultimately optimizing patient care pathways and outcomes. In this review, we endeavor to provide insights into the potential contributions of CMR mapping techniques in enhancing the diagnostic processes across a range of cardiac conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nazario Carrabba
- Cardio-Thoraco-Vascular Department, Careggi Hospital, 50134 Florence, Italy;
| | - Mattia Alexis Amico
- Cardio-Thoraco-Vascular Department, Careggi Hospital, 50134 Florence, Italy;
| | - Andrea Igoren Guaricci
- University Cardiology Unit, Interdisciplinary Department of Medicine, University of Bari Aldo Moro, 70121 Bari, Italy
| | - Maria Cristina Carella
- University Cardiology Unit, Interdisciplinary Department of Medicine, University of Bari Aldo Moro, 70121 Bari, Italy
| | - Viviana Maestrini
- Department of Clinical, Anestesiological and Cardiovascular Science, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy (S.M.)
- Institute of Sports Medicine and Science of Rome, Comitato Olimpico Nazionale Italiano (CONI), 00197 Rome, Italy
| | - Sara Monosilio
- Department of Clinical, Anestesiological and Cardiovascular Science, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy (S.M.)
- Institute of Sports Medicine and Science of Rome, Comitato Olimpico Nazionale Italiano (CONI), 00197 Rome, Italy
| | - Patrizia Pedrotti
- S.S. Cardiologia Diagnostica per Immagini—RM Cardiaca; S.C. Cardiologia 4 Diagnostica-Riabilitativa Dipartimento CardioToracoVascolare “De Gasperis”, ASST Grande Ospedale Metropolitano Niguarda, 20162 Milano, Italy
| | - Fabrizio Ricci
- Department of Neuroscience, Imaging and Clinical Sciences, G. d’Annunzio University of Chieti-Pescara, 66100 Chieti, Italy
| | - Lorenzo Monti
- IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Via Manzoni 56, Rozzano, 20089 Milan, Italy; (L.M.)
| | - Stefano Figliozzi
- IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Via Manzoni 56, Rozzano, 20089 Milan, Italy; (L.M.)
| | - Camilla Torlasco
- Department of Cardiovascular, Neural and Metabolic Sciences, IRCCS Istituto Auxologico Italiano, 20165 Milan, Italy;
| | - Andrea Barison
- Fondazione Toscana Gabriele Monasterio, 56127 Pisa, Italy
| | - Andrea Baggiano
- Department of Perioperative Cardiology and Cardiovascular Imaging, Centro Cardiologico Monzino IRCCS, 20138 Milan, Italy; (A.B.); (G.P.)
- Department of Biomedical, Surgical and Dental Sciences, University of Milan, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Alessandra Scatteia
- Cardiovascular MRI Laboratory, Unit of Advanced Cardiovascular Imaging, Ospedale Medico-Chirurgico Accreditato Villa dei Fiori, 80011 Acerra, Italy
| | - Gianluca Pontone
- Department of Perioperative Cardiology and Cardiovascular Imaging, Centro Cardiologico Monzino IRCCS, 20138 Milan, Italy; (A.B.); (G.P.)
- Department of Biomedical, Surgical and Dental Sciences, University of Milan, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Santo Dellegrottaglie
- Cardiovascular MRI Laboratory, Unit of Advanced Cardiovascular Imaging, Ospedale Medico-Chirurgico Accreditato Villa dei Fiori, 80011 Acerra, Italy
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Carstensen H, Nissen SD, Saljic A, Hesselkilde EM, van Hunnik A, Hohl M, Sattler SM, Fløgstad C, Hopster-Iversen C, Verheule S, Böhm M, Schotten U, Jespersen T, Buhl R. Long-Term Training Increases Atrial Fibrillation Sustainability in Standardbred Racehorses. J Cardiovasc Transl Res 2023; 16:1205-1219. [PMID: 37014465 PMCID: PMC10615936 DOI: 10.1007/s12265-023-10378-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2022] [Accepted: 03/14/2023] [Indexed: 04/05/2023]
Abstract
Atrial fibrillation (AF) is more prevalent in athletes, and currently, the mechanisms are not fully understood. Atrial fibrillation inducibility and stability was investigated in trained and untrained Standardbred racehorses. The horses underwent echocardiography for evaluation of atrial size. High-density mapping during AF was performed, and the presence of structural remodeling, as well as the expression of inflammatory and pro-inflammatory markers in the atria, was studied. Atrial fibrillation sustained significantly longer after tachypacing in the trained horses, whereas no difference in AF inducibility was found. The untrained horses displayed a significant difference in the AF complexity when comparing right and left atria, whereas such difference was not observed in the trained animals. No evidence of increased structural remodeling or inflammation could be identified. Left atrial dimensions were not significantly increased. The increased AF sustainability in trained horses was not related to fibrosis or inflammation as seen in other animal exercise models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helena Carstensen
- Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Højbakkegaard Allé 5, 2630, Taastrup, Denmark
| | - Sarah Dalgas Nissen
- Laboratory of Cardiac Physiology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 3B, 2200, Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | - Arnela Saljic
- Laboratory of Cardiac Physiology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 3B, 2200, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Eva Melis Hesselkilde
- Laboratory of Cardiac Physiology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 3B, 2200, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Arne van Hunnik
- Department of Physiology, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands
| | - Mathias Hohl
- Department of Internal Medicine III, University Hospital, Saarland University, Homburg, Saar, Germany
| | - Stefan Michael Sattler
- Laboratory of Cardiac Physiology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 3B, 2200, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Department of Cardiology, Herlev and Gentofte University Hospital, Herlev, Denmark
| | - Cecilie Fløgstad
- Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Højbakkegaard Allé 5, 2630, Taastrup, Denmark
| | - Charlotte Hopster-Iversen
- Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Højbakkegaard Allé 5, 2630, Taastrup, Denmark
| | - Sander Verheule
- Department of Physiology, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands
| | - Michael Böhm
- Department of Internal Medicine III, University Hospital, Saarland University, Homburg, Saar, Germany
| | - Ulrich Schotten
- Department of Physiology, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands
| | - Thomas Jespersen
- Laboratory of Cardiac Physiology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 3B, 2200, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Rikke Buhl
- Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Højbakkegaard Allé 5, 2630, Taastrup, Denmark
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Maceira A, Valenzuela PL, Santos-Lozano A, García-González MP, Ortega LH, Díaz-Gonzalez L, Boraita A, Barranco-Gil D, Lucia A. Myocardial Fibrosis and Coronary Calcifications Caused by Endurance Exercise? Insights from Former Professional Cyclists. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2023; 55:151-157. [PMID: 36136597 DOI: 10.1249/mss.0000000000003043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE This study aimed to compare the prevalence of myocardial fibrosis and coronary calcification in individuals who have performed very high levels of strenuous endurance exercise (SEE; former male professional cyclists) and sex/age-matched controls. METHODS We used a retrospective cohort study design, where cases were former finishers of ≥1 Grand Tour (Tour de France, Giro d' Italia or Vuelta a España) and controls were untrained individuals free of cardiovascular risk. All participants underwent cardiac magnetic resonance and cardiac computer tomography in the same center during years 2020-2021 to detect myocardial fibrosis (late gadolinium enhancement) and to quantify coronary calcium, respectively. RESULTS Twenty-three cases (age, 46 ± 6 yr) and 59 controls (47 ± 7 yr) were studied. Fibrotic patches were evidenced only in the left ventricle, with a higher prevalence in cases (23% vs 2% in controls, P = 0.006). However, fibrotic tissue was nonischemic and of low extension (0.6% ± 0.4% of left ventricle mass), and no significant differences were found between cases and controls for native T1 or T2 values. No between-group differences were found for coronary calcium indicators, including Agatston or density scores. Subanalyses revealed no differences attending to whether cases were still performing regular SEE ( n = 8) or not ( n = 15) after professional retirement. CONCLUSIONS Although former professional cyclists seemed to show a greater prevalence of myocardial fibrosis, the extension of fibrotic tissue was minimal and no alterations were found in coronary calcification indicators. While keeping in mind the low sample size of the cases' group, our results do not support evidence for major cardiac maladaptations with long-term exposure to SEE, at least in middle-age adults.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Pedro L Valenzuela
- Research Institute of the Hospital 12 de Octubre ("imas12," PaHerg group), Madrid, SPAIN
| | | | | | | | | | - Araceli Boraita
- Department of Cardiology, Sports Medicine Center, Spanish Agency for Health Protection in Sports, Madrid, SPAIN
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The Role of Multimodality Imaging in Athlete's Heart Diagnosis: Current Status and Future Directions. J Clin Med 2021; 10:jcm10215126. [PMID: 34768646 PMCID: PMC8584488 DOI: 10.3390/jcm10215126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2021] [Revised: 10/26/2021] [Accepted: 10/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
“Athlete’s heart” is a spectrum of morphological and functional changes which occur in the heart of people who practice physical activity. When athlete’s heart occurs with its most marked expression, it may overlap with a differential diagnosis with certain structural cardiac diseases, including cardiomyopathies, valvular diseases, aortopathies, myocarditis, and coronary artery anomalies. Identifying the underlying cardiac is essential to reduce the potential for sudden cardiac death. For this purpose, a spectrum of imaging modalities, including rest and exercise stress echocardiography, speckle tracking echocardiography, cardiac magnetic resonance, computed tomography, and nuclear scintigraphy, can be undertaken. The objective of this review article is to provide to the clinician a practical step-by-step approach, aiming at distinguishing between extreme physiology and structural cardiac disease during the athlete’s cardiovascular evaluation.
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