title: Effect of detraining on the cardiopulmonary reflex in professional runners and hammer throwers.
abstract: In professional athletes with marked cardiac hypertrophy, reflex influences originating from cardiopulmonary receptors are impaired. To determine whether the reflex is restored after termination of physical training and regression of cardiac hypertrophy 8 former athletes (age 31 +/- 6 years, mean +/- SD) who stopped agonistic activity for 5 +/- 1 years were compared with 15 sedentary subjects (27 +/- 7 years) and 19 active professional athletes (22 +/- 7 years). Cardiopulmonary receptor stimulation and deactivation were obtained by increasing and reducing left ventricular end-diastolic diameter (echocardiography) through leg raising and nonhypotensive lower body negative pressure, respectively. Left ventricular mass index (echocardiography) was markedly and significantly (p less than 0.01) greater in athletes (135 +/- 6 g/m2) than in former athletes (105 +/- 4 g/m2) whose value was similar to that of sedentary subjects (98 +/- 4 g/m2). The reduction in forearm vascular resistance and plasma norepinephrine induced by increasing left ventricular end-diastolic diameter was 24 and 23% less in athletes than in former athletes whose responses were similar to those of sedentary subjects. This was the case also for the responses induced by reducing left ventricular end-diastolic diameter. In contrast, the hemodynamic responses to cold pressor test were similar in the 3 groups. It is concluded that the impairment of the cardiopulmonary reflex observed in athletes is largely reversible when physical training is terminated. This may be due to regression of left ventricular hypertrophy.
authors.affiliation: Cattedra di Medicina Interna, Università di Milano, Italy.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Giannattasio
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Seravalle
authors.forename: B M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Cattaneo
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cuspidi
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sampieri
authors.forename: G B
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Bolla
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Grassi
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mancia
mesh_terms: D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D006332:Cardiomegaly / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003080:Cold Temperature; D005260:Female; D006439:Hemodynamics; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008150:Lower Body Negative Pressure; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000097:blood; D011311:Pressoreceptors / Q000503:physiopathology; D012018:Reflex / Q000502:physiology*; D012420:Running; D014142:Track and Field; D014463:Ultrasonography; D016277:Ventricular Function, Left
chemical_list: D009638:Norepinephrine