J Cardiovasc Dev Dis
December 2024
Background: Congenital coronary artery anomalies (CAAs) are a significant cause of sudden cardiac death and a key factor in determining athletes' eligibility for competitive sports. Their prevalence varies with diagnostic modalities and may present as asymptomatic or with life-threatening ischemic or arrhythmic events. This case series highlights the diverse manifestations of CAAs and the clinical approaches used to determine sports eligibility.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEndurance sports have witnessed an increase in female participation, demanding a constant and evolving reassessment of the specific physiological and health implications of female athletes. In the present review, we analyze cardiovascular, hematological adaptations and anthropometry and hormonal fluctuations highlighting sex-specific differences in response to exercise, with estrogen playing a fundamental role in modulating body composition and metabolic processes. Nutritional aspects, in particular energy availability, macronutrient distribution and hydration, are fundamental in supporting training demands and menstrual function.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFHigh Blood Press Cardiovasc Prev
January 2025
Introduction: Carotid IMT is a recognized marker for early atherosclerotic changes and a predictor of future CV events. Previous studies showed 11% increased risk of myocardial infarction with each 0.1 mm incremental increase of carotid IMT.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction: Abnormal blood pressure response to exercise (ABPR) in athletes is considered a risk for incident hypertension, conferring a higher cardiovascular risk profile. We sought to describe the clinical cardiovascular features of athletes with ABPR and, moreover, the relationship of ABPR with occurrence of exercise-induced ventricular ectopic beats (VEBs).
Methods And Results: We enrolled 1460 elite athletes (56.
Introduction: Metabolic syndrome (MS) is a growing global public health concern that is associated with increased risk for cardiovascular events, even in athletes. The lipid accumulation product (LAP) index and cardiometabolic index (CMI) have been shown to be efficient markers of MS in the general population; its applicability in athletes has not been discussed yet. We aimed to assess the role of LAP and CMI in predicting MS in athletes.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEur Heart J Cardiovasc Imaging
December 2024
Aims: Cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) has a growing role in evaluating athletes' hearts. Mapping techniques provide added value for tissue characterization, but data on athletes and sports disciplines are lacking. To describe native mapping values in a cohort of Olympic athletes and evaluate the influence of sports discipline and sex.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Supraventricular extra beats (SVEB) are frequently observed in athletes but data on significance, prognostic role and correlation with cardiac remodeling are contrasting. It is uncertain whether SVEB may indicate the development of more complex arrhythmias and the need for closer monitoring is undetermined. The aim was to assess the prevalence and clinical significance of BESV in Olympic athletes of different sporting disciplines, evaluating potential correlations with cardiac remodeling and clinical features.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Sports Med Phys Fitness
November 2024
Background: Previous studies demonstrated that variations of fT3, even within the euthyroid range, can influence cardiac function. Our aim was to investigate whether thyroid hormones, even within the euthyroid range, are associated with the magnitude of exercise-induced cardiac remodeling in Olympic athletes.
Methods: We evaluated 1342 Olympic athletes (mean age 25.
Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab
September 2024
Dyslipidemia is a major contributor to the development of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Despite high level of physical activity, athletes are not immune from dyslipidemia, but longitudinal data on the variation of lipids are currently lacking. We sought to assess lipid profile changes over time in Olympic athletes practicing different sports disciplines (power, skills, endurance, and mixed).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAccording to the ESC guidelines, sport disciplines are classified in relation to the predominant component (skill, power, mixed and endurance), including a wide range of disciplines with different isometric/isotonic exercises and exercise-induced heart remodeling. The aim of our study was to evaluate differences in morpho-functional cardiac adaptations in power athletes, comparing judokas with weightlifters. We enrolled 55 Olympic athletes (38 judokas, 17 weightlifters), aged 24.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction: Ethnic and gender differences in plasma lipid composition have been widely reported among the general population, but there are scarce data on athletes.
Aim: To assess ethnic and gender differences in lipid profile across a large cohort of Olympic athletes practicing different sport disciplines METHODS: We enrolled 1165 Olympic athletes divided into power, endurance, and mixed disciplines according to European Society of Cardiology classification. Sixty-two (5.
Introduction: Recently, European Society of Cardiology (ESC) validated a prediction model to estimate 10-year fatal and non-fatal cardiovascular disease risk (CVDR) in individuals (aged 40-60 years) without previous cardiovascular disease or diabetes (ESC-SCORE2) and to provide indications for treatment. At present, data describing the CVDR in Paralympic athletes (PAs) are scarce and inconsistent. Therefore, we sought to assess the prevalence of risk factors in PAs to estimate their CVDR through SCORE2.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDyslipidemia is the most frequent cardiovascular (CV) risk factor in able-bodied athletes and is frequently undertreated, resulting in an underestimated risk of atherosclerosis-related diseases. Data on lipid profile in Paralympic athletes are lacking. Our study aimed to identify the prevalence of dyslipidemia and the influence of disability type and sporting discipline in Paralympic athletes.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) provides information on morpho-functional abnormalities and myocardial tissue characterisation. Appropriate indications for CMR in athletes are uncertain.
Objective: To analyse the CMR performed at our Institute to evaluate variables associated with pathologic findings in a large cohort of athletes presenting with different clinical conditions.
Introduction: Left ventricular (LV) trabeculations (LVTs) are common findings in athletes. Limited information exists regarding clinical significance, management, and outcome.
Objectives: The purpose of this study is to examine the prevalence and morphologic characteristics of LVTs in elite athletes, with a focus on clinical correlates and prognostic significance.
Background: Athlete's heart is associated with physiological electrical and structural remodelling. Despite the plethora of data published on male athletes, solid data derived from female athletes, compared to male counterparts or sedentary women, are still scarce.
Objectives: We aimed to analyze the electrical, structural, and functional characteristics of athlete's heart in female and male athletes vs sedentary controls.
Dyslipidemia is a major risk factor for atherosclerosis. Identification of dyslipidemia in athletes has raised interest in establishing preventive strategies and reducing cardiovascular (CV) events. Nowadays, targets or "scores" for athletes are undefined.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: The Tokyo Olympic games were the only games postponed for a year in peacetime, which will be remembered as the COVID-19 Olympics. No data are currently available on the effect on athlete's performance.
Aim: To examine the Italian Olympic athletes who have undergone the return to play (RTP) protocol after COVID-19 and their Olympic results.