QT dispersion in athletic left ventricular hypertrophy.
OBJECTIVE
To assess whether physiologic left ventricular hypertrophy as a result of physical training is associated with an increased QT length or dispersion.


METHODS
Thirty-three subjects were assessed. These consisted of a group of international endurance athletes (including 8 rowers, 2 cyclists, and 1 triathlete), a group of 12 professional soccer players, and a further group of 10 control subjects. Each underwent 2-dimensional echocardiography and 12-lead electrocardiographic examination.


RESULTS
Left ventricular mass index was considerably greater in both the endurance athlete (163.3 +/- 14.4 g/m2; P <.01) and soccer player groups (144.2 +/- 5.5 g/m 2; P <.05) compared with the controls (109.2 +/- 6.3 g/m2). In spite of these large differences in cardiac structure there were no significant differences in QT parameters between the groups (QT dispersion 56.9 +/- 5.5, 68.5 +/- 9.5, and 67.2 +/- 12.6 ms; QTc dispersion 61.4 +/- 9.2, 69.4 +/- 13.3, and 54.2 +/- 6.5 ms; maximum QT 402 +/- 10.3, 404 +/- 9.6, and 392 +/- 14.0 ms; and maximum QTc 404 +/- 7.0, 413 +/- 9.3, and 399 +/- 9.9 ms among endurance athletes, soccer players, and controls, respectively).


CONCLUSIONS
Left ventricular hypertrophy occurring as a consequence of athletic training does not appear to be associated with a major increase in QT length or QT dispersion.
Mayet
J
J
Department of Cardiology and Peart-Rose Clinic, St. Mary's Hospital, Paddington, London, UK.
Kanagaratnam
P
P
Shahi
M
M
Senior
R
R
Doherty
M
M
Poulter
N R
NR
Sever
P S
PS
Handler
C E
CE
Thom
S A
SA
Foale
R A
RA
D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004452:Echocardiography; D004562:Electrocardiography; D006329:Heart Conduction System / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D017379:Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D013177:Sports / Q000502:physiology*