Cardiac troponin T in female athletes during a two-day mountain marathon.
BACKGROUND
Equivocal studies exist on the potential of cardiac damage following prolonged endurance exercise.


OBJECTIVE
The aim of the study was to examine humoral markers of cardiac damage in female athletes during a 2-day mountain endurance race.


METHODS
Venous blood samples were drawn from seven female competitors prior to, and immediately following day-1 and day-2 of the event. The serum was analysed for total creatine kinase (CK), creatine kinase isoenzyme MB (CKMB), and cardiac troponin T (cTnT).


RESULTS
Elevations in CK and CKMB were apparent following day-1 of the event (mean +/- SD; CK 84.1 +/- 54.6 mg/L vs. 387 +/- 276.7 mg/L, CKMB 2 +/- 1.7 mg/L vs. 5.9 +/- 1.7 mg/L) and subsequently rose further following race completion (CK 743 +/- 500 mg/L, CKMB 11.9 +/- 4.9 mg/L). Elevations in cTnT were noted in three competitors following day-1 cTNT (range 0.013-0.044 mg/L) and remained elevated in two competitors following day-2 (range 0.014-0.017 mg/L).


CONCLUSIONS
The elevations in cTnT likely represent release from the cytosolic fraction. The mechanism responsible for such release is yet to be elucidated.
Shave
R E
RE
British Olympic Medical Centre, Northwick Park Hospital, Watford Road, Harrow, Middlesex, HA1 3UJ. robert.shave@boa.org.uk
Dawson
E
E
Whyte
P G
PG
George
K
K
Ball
D
D
Gaze
C D
CD
Collinson
P
P
D000328:Adult; D003402:Creatine Kinase / Q000097:blood; D052279:Creatine Kinase, MB Form; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007527:Isoenzymes / Q000097:blood; D008875:Middle Aged; D010807:Physical Endurance / Q000502:physiology*; D013177:Sports / Q000502:physiology*; D020107:Troponin T / Q000097:blood*
D007527:Isoenzymes; D020107:Troponin T; D003402:Creatine Kinase; D052279:Creatine Kinase, MB Form