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Most A, Kraushaar L, Dörr O, Keranov S, Hoelscher S, Weber R, Akdogan E, Groesser V, Husain-Syed F, Nef H, Hamm CW, Bauer P. Association of central blood pressure with an exaggerated blood pressure response to exercise among elite athletes. Eur J Appl Physiol 2024; 124:1239-1252. [PMID: 37987923 PMCID: PMC10955016 DOI: 10.1007/s00421-023-05353-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 11/22/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE The systolic blood pressure/workload (SBP/MET) slope was recently reported to be a reliable parameter to identify an exaggerated blood pressure response (eBPR) in the normal population and in athletes. However, it is unclear whether an eBPR correlates with central blood pressure (CBP) and vascular function in elite athletes. METHODS We examined 618 healthy male elite athletes (age 25.8 ± 5.1 years) of mixed sports with a standardized maximum exercise test. CBP and vascular function were measured non-invasively with a validated oscillometric device. The SBP/MET slope was calculated and the threshold for an eBPR was set at > 6.2 mmHg/MET. Two groups were defined according to ≤ 6.2 and > 6.2 mmHg/MET, and associations of CBP and vascular function with the SBP/MET slope were compared for each group. RESULTS Athletes with an eBPR (n = 180, 29%) displayed a significantly higher systolic CBP (102.9 ± 7.5 vs. 100 ± 7.7 mmHg, p = 0.001) but a lower absolute (295 ± 58 vs. 384 ± 68 W, p < 0.001) and relative workload (3.14 ± 0.54 vs. 4.27 ± 1.1 W/kg, p < 0.001) compared with athletes with a normal SBP/MET slope (n = 438, 71%). Systolic CBP was positively associated with the SBP/MET slope (r = 0.243, p < 0.001). In multiple logistic regression analyses, systolic CBP (odds ratio [OR] 1.099, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.045-1.155, p < 0.001) and left atrial volume index (LAVI) (OR 1.282, CI 1.095-1.501, p = 0.002) were independent predictors of an eBPR. CONCLUSION Systolic CBP and LAVI were independent predictors of an eBPR. An eBPR was further associated with a lower performance level, highlighting the influence of vascular function on the BPR and performance of male elite athletes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Astrid Most
- Department of Cardiology and Angiology, Justus Liebig University Giessen, 35390, Giessen, Germany
| | | | - Oliver Dörr
- Department of Cardiology and Angiology, Justus Liebig University Giessen, 35390, Giessen, Germany
| | - Stanislav Keranov
- Department of Cardiology and Angiology, Justus Liebig University Giessen, 35390, Giessen, Germany
| | - Sophie Hoelscher
- Department of Cardiology and Angiology, Justus Liebig University Giessen, 35390, Giessen, Germany
| | - Rebecca Weber
- Department of Cardiology and Angiology, Justus Liebig University Giessen, 35390, Giessen, Germany
| | - Ebru Akdogan
- Department of Cardiology and Angiology, Justus Liebig University Giessen, 35390, Giessen, Germany
| | - Vincent Groesser
- Department of Cardiology and Angiology, Justus Liebig University Giessen, 35390, Giessen, Germany
| | - Faeq Husain-Syed
- Department of Internal Medicine, Member of the German Center for Lung Research, Universities of Giessen and Marburg Lung Center, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Giessen, Germany
| | - Holger Nef
- Department of Cardiology and Angiology, Justus Liebig University Giessen, 35390, Giessen, Germany
| | - Christian W Hamm
- Department of Cardiology and Angiology, Justus Liebig University Giessen, 35390, Giessen, Germany
- Department of Cardiology, Kerckhoff Heart and Thorax Center, Bad Nauheim, Germany
- German Center for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Rhein-Main Partner Site, Bad Nauheim, Germany
| | - Pascal Bauer
- Department of Cardiology and Angiology, Justus Liebig University Giessen, 35390, Giessen, Germany.
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Cavigli L, Ragazzoni GL, Quer L, Cangiano N, Santoro A, Ferasin V, Mandoli GE, Pastore MC, Benfari G, Ribichini FL, Focardi M, Valente S, Cameli M, D'Ascenzi F. Aortic root/left ventricular diameters golden ratio in competitive athletes. Int J Cardiol 2023; 390:131202. [PMID: 37480998 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijcard.2023.131202] [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: 05/12/2023] [Revised: 07/03/2023] [Accepted: 07/19/2023] [Indexed: 07/24/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The athlete's heart is a well-known phenomenon characterized by a harmonic remodelling that affects the cardiac chambers. However, whether mild-to-moderate aortic dilatation can be considered normal in athletes is debated. This study aimed to evaluate the ratio between left ventricular (LV) size and aortic dimensions, reporting the normal values of the ratio between the aortic root diameters at the level of the sinuses of Valsalva and LV diameters (AoD/LVEDD ratio) in a wide cohort of competitive athletes. MATERIALS AND METHODS Competitive athletes were compared with sedentary subjects and patients with aortic dilatation. 1901 subjects who underwent echocardiography from 2019 to 2022 were retrospectively enrolled: 993 athletes (74% males, mean age 26 ± 7 years), 410 sedentary (74.1% males, mean age 29 ± 11 years) and 498 patients with aortic dilatation (74.3% males, mean age 56 ± 7 years). RESULTS Patients with aortic dilatation had both an absolute (39.2 ± 2.4 mm) and indexed (19.4 ± 2.2 mm/m2) aortic diameter larger than athletes (30.6 ± 3.2 mm; 16.1 ± 1.5 mm/m2, p < 0.05) and sedentary subjects (30.5 ± 3.1 mm; 16.5 ± 1.6 mm/m2, p < 0.05), with no differences between athletes and sedentary subjects. The AoD/LVEDD ratio was lower in athletes (0.59 ± 0.06) compared to controls (0.65 ± 0.05, p < 0.05) and patients with aortic dilatation (0.81 ± 0.06, p < 0.05). The patients with aortopathy had the lowest LVEDD/AoD ratio, while competitive athletes had the highest, with values of 1.71 ± 0.16 in the latter (overall p value<0.001). CONCLUSIONS In this study, we reported the AoD/LVEDD and LVEDD/AoD ratio values in a cohort of healthy athletes, additional parameters that could help confirm the harmonic remodelling in the athlete's heart.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luna Cavigli
- Department of Medical Biotechnologies, Division of Cardiology, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | - Gian Luca Ragazzoni
- Department of Medical Biotechnologies, Division of Cardiology, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | - Laura Quer
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Nicola Cangiano
- Department of Medical Biotechnologies, Division of Cardiology, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | - Alfonso Santoro
- Department of Medical Biotechnologies, Division of Cardiology, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | - Veronica Ferasin
- Department of Medical Biotechnologies, Division of Cardiology, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | - Giulia Elena Mandoli
- Department of Medical Biotechnologies, Division of Cardiology, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | - Maria Concetta Pastore
- Department of Medical Biotechnologies, Division of Cardiology, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | - Giovanni Benfari
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | | | - Marta Focardi
- Department of Medical Biotechnologies, Division of Cardiology, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | - Serafina Valente
- Department of Medical Biotechnologies, Division of Cardiology, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | - Matteo Cameli
- Department of Medical Biotechnologies, Division of Cardiology, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | - Flavio D'Ascenzi
- Department of Medical Biotechnologies, Division of Cardiology, University of Siena, Siena, Italy.
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Bauer P, Kraushaar L, Dörr O, Keranov S, Nef H, Hamm CW, Most A. Vascular alterations among male elite athletes recovering from SARS-CoV-2 infection. Sci Rep 2022; 12:8655. [PMID: 35606543 PMCID: PMC9125957 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-12734-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2021] [Accepted: 05/13/2022] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 may affect the cardiovascular system and vascular impairment has been reported in healthy young adults recovering from COVID-19. However, the impact of SARS-CoV-2 infection on the vascular function of elite athletes is unknown. We examined 30 healthy male elite athletes (age 25.8 ± 4.6 years) pre-season and at a 6-month follow-up (182 ± 10 days). Vascular function and central blood pressure were calculated using transfer function-based analysis of peripheral arterial waveforms obtained by oscillometry. We performed a two-way repeated-measures ANOVA on the biomarker data, with SARS-CoV-2 status as the between-groups factor and time as the within-groups factor. Subjects who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 were studied 18 ± 4 days after their positive testing date at follow-up. Of 30 athletes, 15 tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 after the first examination and prior to the follow-up. None had severe COVID-19 or reported any persisting symptoms. The results of the two-way repeated measures ANOVA revealed that there was no significant main effect of COVID-19 on any of the investigated biomarkers. However, there was a significant interaction between the effects of SARS-CoV-2 exposure and time on augmentation index (Aix) (p = 0.006) and augmentation index normalized to a heart rate of 75 beats per minute (Aix@75), (p = 0.0018). The observation of an interaction effect on Aix and Aix@75 in the absence of any main effect indicates a cross-over interaction. Significant vascular alterations in male elite athletes recovering from COVID-19 were observed that suggest vascular impairment. Whether these alterations affect athletic performance should be evaluated in future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pascal Bauer
- Department of Cardiology and Angiology, Justus- Liebig- University Giessen, 35390, Giessen, Germany.
| | | | - Oliver Dörr
- Department of Cardiology and Angiology, Justus- Liebig- University Giessen, 35390, Giessen, Germany
| | - Stanislav Keranov
- Department of Cardiology and Angiology, Justus- Liebig- University Giessen, 35390, Giessen, Germany
| | - Holger Nef
- Department of Cardiology and Angiology, Justus- Liebig- University Giessen, 35390, Giessen, Germany
| | - Christian W Hamm
- Department of Cardiology and Angiology, Justus- Liebig- University Giessen, 35390, Giessen, Germany
- Department of Cardiology, Kerckhoff Clinic GmbH, Bad Nauheim, Germany
| | - Astrid Most
- Department of Cardiology and Angiology, Justus- Liebig- University Giessen, 35390, Giessen, Germany
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Baumgartner L, Weberruß H, Engl T, Schulz T, Oberhoffer-Fritz R. Exercise Training Duration and Intensity Are Associated With Thicker Carotid Intima-Media Thickness but Improved Arterial Elasticity in Active Children and Adolescents. Front Cardiovasc Med 2021; 8:618294. [PMID: 34307488 PMCID: PMC8295565 DOI: 10.3389/fcvm.2021.618294] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2020] [Accepted: 06/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Even though exercise generally has a positive effect on health, intensive exercise can have adverse effects on the vascular system of adults. This study aimed to investigate the association between training duration and intensity and vascular structure and function in 427 physically active children and adolescents (14.0 ± 1.94 years). In this study, we examined carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT), carotid diameter, and cIMT:diameter-ratio as parameters of carotid arterial structure and arterial compliance (AC), stiffness index β (β), elastic modulus (Ep), and carotid pulse wave velocity (PWVβ) as parameters of carotid arterial function with high-resolution ultrasound. We collected central systolic blood pressure (cSBP) and aortic pulse wave velocity (aPWV) as parameters of central arterial stiffness with an oscillometric device. We used the MoMo Physical Activity Questionnaire to record training duration and intensity. Training duration (p = 0.022) and intensity (p = 0.024) were associated with higher cIMT. Further, training duration was associated with lower central arterial stiffness (cSBP: p = 0.001; aPWV: p = 0.033) and improved AC (p < 0.001). Higher training intensity was related to improved AC (p < 0.001) and larger carotid diameter (p = 0.040). Boys presented thicker cIMT (p = 0.010), improved AC (p = 0.006), and lower central arterial stiffness (cSBP: p < 0.001; aPWV: p = 0.016) associated with higher training duration. Girls presented improved AC (p = 0.023) and lower Ep (p = 0.038) but higher β (p = 0.036) associated with higher training duration. Only boys demonstrated thicker cIMT (p = 0.016) and improved AC (p = 0.002) associated with higher training intensity. A quintile analyses of the training duration revealed thicker cIMT of children and adolescents in Q1 and Q5 than that in Q4 and Q5. Besides, Q1 showed lower cSBP compared to Q4 and Q5. Regarding training intensity, Q5 had thicker cIMT than Q2 and Q3. Although a higher training load is associated with thicker cIMT, the common carotid artery is also more elastic. This suggests that a higher training load leads to a functional adaptation of the carotid artery in youth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa Baumgartner
- Institute of Preventive Pediatrics, TUM Department of Sport and Health Science, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Heidi Weberruß
- Institute of Preventive Pediatrics, TUM Department of Sport and Health Science, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Tobias Engl
- Institute of Preventive Pediatrics, TUM Department of Sport and Health Science, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Thorsten Schulz
- Institute of Preventive Pediatrics, TUM Department of Sport and Health Science, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Renate Oberhoffer-Fritz
- Institute of Preventive Pediatrics, TUM Department of Sport and Health Science, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
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Koutlianos N, Sotiriou P, Christou G, Pagourelias E, Anifanti M, Christou K, Tsironi M, Andriopoulos P, Kouidi E, Deligiannis A. Arterial Function after a 246 km Ultra-marathon Running Race. Int J Sports Med 2021; 42:1167-1173. [PMID: 33902151 DOI: 10.1055/a-1467-6508] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
There is little research about the effects of ultra-endurance exercise on arterial morphological and functional properties. The aim was to assess the acute changes of the carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity and carotid doppler-derived parameters following an ultra-marathon race as well as the intima-media thickness of the carotid artery in ultra-marathon runners. Twenty athletes were examined at baseline and within 10 mins after a 246 km running race. Measurements included carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity, peak-systolic and end-diastolic velocities of carotid artery blood flow, pulsatility and resistivity indices and blood biochemical parameters. The intima-media thickness of the right and left carotid artery was measured before the race. Arterial stiffness and carotid artery intima media thickness at rest remained within known normal limits. The ultra-marathon race significantly increased carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity by 22.6% and pulsatility index by 10.2%. There was a decrease in body weight by 3.35% and an increase of all biochemical markers of muscle damage after the race. Additionally, C-reactive protein was correlated with both pulsatility and resistivity indices post-race. This study shows that immediately after a 246 km ultra-marathon running race, acute increase of arterial stiffness and vascular resistance were evident. The carotid artery thickness of ultra-marathon runners was within normal range.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikolaos Koutlianos
- Department of Physical Education & Sports Science, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Sports Medicine Laboratory, Thermi, Greece
| | - Panagiota Sotiriou
- Department of Physical Education & Sports Science, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Sports Medicine Laboratory, Thermi, Greece
| | - Georgios Christou
- Department of Physical Education & Sports Science, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Sports Medicine Laboratory, Thermi, Greece
| | - Efstathios Pagourelias
- Department of Physical Education & Sports Science, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Sports Medicine Laboratory, Thermi, Greece
| | - Maria Anifanti
- Department of Physical Education & Sports Science, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Sports Medicine Laboratory, Thermi, Greece
| | - Konstantinos Christou
- Department of Physical Education & Sports Science, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Sports Medicine Laboratory, Thermi, Greece
| | - Maria Tsironi
- Department of Nursing, School of Human Movement & Quality of Life Sciences, University of Peloponnese, Sparta, Greece
| | - Panagiotis Andriopoulos
- Department of Nursing, School of Human Movement & Quality of Life Sciences, University of Peloponnese, Sparta, Greece
| | - Evangelia Kouidi
- Department of Physical Education & Sports Science, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Sports Medicine Laboratory, Thermi, Greece
| | - Asterios Deligiannis
- Department of Physical Education & Sports Science, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Sports Medicine Laboratory, Thermi, Greece
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Elite athletes as research model: vitamin D insufficiency associates with elevated central blood pressure in professional handball athletes. Eur J Appl Physiol 2019; 119:2265-2274. [PMID: 31428859 DOI: 10.1007/s00421-019-04210-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2019] [Accepted: 08/13/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Low vitamin D levels have been associated with elevated blood pressure in the general population. Prospective studies, however, have produced conflicting evidence about the blood pressure-lowering effects of vitamin D supplementation. Cardiorespiratory fitness may modulate the vitamin D-blood pressure association. We therefore examined this association in professional athletes, whose high training load serves as a biological control for physical fitness. METHODS 50 male professional handball players (age 26 ± 5 years) were examined. We assessed the central aortic pressure parameters using transfer function-based analysis of oscillometrically obtained peripheral arterial waveforms. Serum 25-OH vitamin D concentrations were determined by chemiluminescent immunoassay. The threshold for insufficiency was set at values of < 30 ng/mL. RESULTS Central blood pressure (cBP) was 98 ± 7/60 ± 10 mmHg. The aortic pulse wave velocity (PWV) was 6.3 ± 1.0 m/s. Nine athletes (18%) displayed insufficient 25-OH vitamin D levels and had a significantly (p < 0.01) higher cBP compared with the 41 (82%) athletes with sufficient 25-OH vitamin D levels (106 ± 5/68 ± 8 vs. 97 ± 7/58 ± 9 mmHg). Central systolic blood pressure (cSBP) in vitamin D-sufficient athletes was significantly lower in comparison to the healthy reference population (97 mmHg vs. 103 mmHg, p < 0.001). This significance of difference was lost in vitamin D-insufficient athletes (106 mmHg vs. 103 mmHg, p = 0.12). CONCLUSION Significantly raised central systolic and diastolic blood pressure in vitamin D-insufficient elite athletes implicates vitamin D as a potential modifier of vascular functional health.
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