Abnormal exercise electrocardiograms in master athletes after three months of deconditioning.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the effects of 3 months of voluntary deconditioning on cardiac function in master athletes.


METHODS
A prospective study.


METHODS
Research participants at the University of Maryland School of Medicine and Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center.


METHODS
Ten older (59 +/- 8 years, mean +/- SD), highly conditioned (maximal aerobic capacity VO2 max 50 +/- 5 mL/kg/min), aerobically trained athletes.


RESULTS
Three months after the cessation of training, three of the 10 athletes had unexpected, new, markedly asymptomatic, ischemic-appearing, exercise-induced ST-segment depression on their maximal exercise tests. After retraining, the ST-segment changes disappeared in two of the subjects, but it persisted, although at a higher work load, in one of the athletes.


CONCLUSIONS
In three master athletes, voluntary cardiopulmonary deconditioning was associated with the development of new, asymptomatic, exercise-induced ST-segment depression on exercise ECG. The mechanisms underlying these new ischemic-appearing ST-segment changes accompanying detraining and their clinical significance are not known and warrant further investigation.
Katzel
L I
LI
Department of Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, USA.
Busby-Whitehead
M J
MJ
Hagberg
J M
JM
Fleg
J L
JL
D000328:Adult; D018493:Cardiovascular Deconditioning; D004562:Electrocardiography; D015444:Exercise; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D007511:Ischemia / Q000175:diagnosis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged