Left ventricular chamber size predicts the race time of Japanese participants in a 100 km ultramarathon.
OBJECTIVE
As a subanalysis of an echocardiographic study performed on 291 Japanese participants in a 100 km ultramarathon, to estimate predictors of race time.


METHODS
A total of 247 male participants in a 100 km ultramarathon (age 20-73 years) were examined by echocardiography. Correlations between age, body surface area, monthly running distance, or echocardiographic variables and the race time were examined.


RESULTS
According to simple regression analysis, age (r = 0.299, p < 0.0001), monthly running distance (r = -0.388, p < 0.0001), left ventricular end diastolic diameter (r = -0.300, p < 0.0001), and left ventricular end systolic diameter (r = -0.325, p < 0.0001) correlated significantly with the race time. When multiple regression analysis was performed, age (f = 2.364), monthly running distance (f = -0.113), and left ventricular end systolic diameter (f = -2.361) remained significant predictors of the race time.


CONCLUSIONS
Left ventricular diameter predicts the race time for a 100 km ultramarathon, in addition to age and amount of training.
Nagashima
J
J
Yokohama Sports Medical Center, Internal Medicine Section, Yokohama-city, Japan. junagashima-circ@umin.ac.jp
Musha
H
H
Takada
H
H
Murayama
M
M
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001830:Body Surface Area; D004452:Echocardiography; D006321:Heart / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan / Q000208:ethnology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010101:Oxygen Consumption / Q000502:physiology; D010807:Physical Endurance / Q000502:physiology; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012420:Running / Q000502:physiology*; D013997:Time Factors; D016277:Ventricular Function, Left / Q000502:physiology