GUIDE
ARTICLES – abstract
Right
ventricular
dysfunction – a possible limiting factor of the exercise
capacity
in top athletes Pufulete Elisabeta,
Georgescu
Mariana,
Stoian I1, Carp C 2
1
National
Institute of Sports
Medicine Bucharest
2
Institute of
Cardiovascular
diseases ,, C.C. ILIESCU “ Bucharest
Abstract
We studied
a group of 18 top athletes (A)
presenting the
alteration of ventricular repolarization in right ventricular area (
mean age of 18 years + 5, mean stage in sport of 6
years +
3, 12 females and 6 males). They practiced long endurance exercise
(14) or the resistance sports (4). We performed ECG at rest and
during maximal exercise (exercise stress testing) by cycloergometer
(2,5 – 3 watts / kg body weight), two-dimensional
echocardiographic
investigation at rest and immediately after exercise. We also studied
a witness group of 15 top athletes (B). Group A presented some signs
of R.V. dysfunction: the increased diastolic and systolic area
(p<0,01) modified shape, the decreased RV descent
(p<0,01). VO2
max. was decreased . We found also an opposite effect of the maximal
exercise on the right and the left ventricles: R.V. area increased
while the left one decreased. This disproportionate effect was higher
in long endurance athletes as compared with the resistance athletes.
The explanation could be a disproportionate increase in R.V.
afterload and an inadequate R.V. preload reserve caused by the
decreased venous return. The changes of the R.V. shape and function
during maximal endurance exercise seem to be a possible limiting
factor of the effort capacity.
Key
Words: Right Ventricle (R.V.), Left Ventricle
(L.V.),
Electrocardiogram (ECG) , Right Atrium (R.A.), Left Atrium (L.A.),
Afterload, Preload, Ejection Fraction (E.F.).
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