Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study for the Comparative Measurement of Cardiac Parameters Between Endurance and Power and Fast-Power Athletes

Journal of Clinical and Basic Cardiology 2004; 7 (1-4): 15-18

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Keywords: Athlet,  Kardiologie,  MRI,  athlete,  cardiology,  Endurance,  heart,  power

Clinical observations referring to the "athlete's heart" are mostly based on echocardiographic studies. Data obtained by MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) have only been published recently. In the present study data obtained by MRI were compared in young male endurance athletes (n = 9), power and fast-power athletes (n = 9) and young sedentary subjects (n = 8). Relative aerobic power in the endurance athletes was higher than in power and fast-power athletes (67.05 ± 4.58 vs. 56.65 ± 5.15 ml/min/kg), their resting heart rate was lower (52.1 ± 5.8 vs. 57.6 ± 8.2 beats/min). Resting heart rate was significantly lower in both athletic groups than in controls (64.3 ± 9.1 beats/min). In both athletic groups mean body-size related left ventricular muscle mass (LVM/BSA3/2: 72.08 ± 10.1 mm/m3 in the endurance athletes and 66.67 ± 13.7 mm/m3 in the power and fast-power athletes) and end-diastolic volume (LVEDV/BSA3/2: 53.0 ± 10.13 ml/m3 and 52.44 ± 11.2 ml/m3 respectively) were higher than those of the non-athletic group (LVM/BSA3/2: 59.52 ± 6.76 g/m3; LVEDV/BSA3/2: 41.75 ± 6.34 ml/m3). There was, however, no significant difference between the values of the two athletic groups. Mean relative wall thickness (LVWT/BSA1/2) was higher in the endurance athletes than in the power and fast-power athletes (7.49 ± 0.51 vs. 6.89 ± 0.28 mm/m). The values of wall thickness exceeded that of the sedentary subjects (6.66 ± 0.15 mm/m) in both athletic groups. Results of our MRI examinations are in accordance with the observations of those who do not support entirely the theory that power athletes are characterised by a concentric and endurance athletes by an eccentric hypertrophy.