Marathon-Induced Cardiac Fatigue: A Review over the Last Decade for the Preservation of the Athletes' Health.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021;
18:ijerph18168676. [PMID:
34444424 PMCID:
PMC8391217 DOI:
10.3390/ijerph18168676]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2021] [Revised: 08/13/2021] [Accepted: 08/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
AIM
To provide a state-of-the-art review of the last 10 years focusing on cardiac fatigue following a marathon.
METHODS
The PubMed, Bookshelf and Medline databases were queried during a time span of 10 years to identify studies that met the inclusion criteria. Twenty-four studies focusing only on the impact of marathons on the cardiac function and factors involved in cardiac fatigue were included in this review.
RESULTS
Sixteen studies focused on the impact of marathons on several biomarkers (e.g., C-reactive protein, cardiac troponin T). Seven studies focused on the left (LV) or right (RV) ventricular function following a marathon and employed cardiac magnetic resonance, echocardiography, myocardial speckle tracking and heart rate variability to analyze global and regional LV or RV mechanics and the impact of the autonomic nervous system on cardiac function. One study focused on serum profiling and its association with cardiac changes after a marathon.
CONCLUSIONS
This review reported a negligible impact of marathons on LV and RV systolic and contractile function but a negative impact on LV diastolic function in recreational runners. These impairments are often associated with acute damage to the myocardium. Thus, the advice of the present review to athletes is to adapt their training and have a regular medical monitoring to continue to run marathons while preserving their cardiac health.
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