Effects of a long-distance run on cardiac markers in healthy athletes.
BACKGROUND
Running a marathon is a stressful event for athletes. Limited research exists on the role of cardiac markers during such a strenuous event. The aim of this study was to investigate detailed changes in cardiac markers before and after a long-distance run.


METHODS
We studied 25 male and 2 female runners (age 34-64 years) who were running the Visé-Maastricht-Visé marathon. Blood samples were drawn just before and immediately after finishing the marathon. An additional blood sample was collected 24 h later.


RESULTS
Running the marathon led to a significant increase in cortisol. This returned to baseline values 24 h after the marathon. There was a slight increase in brain natriuretic peptide (BNP); however, this was not statistically significant. On the contrary, the N-terminal fragment of BNP (NT-pro-BNP) was significantly increased immediately after the run and was normalized 24 h later in 26 out of 27 runners (96%). The magnitude of the transient elevations in BNP and NT-pro-BNP increased with the age of the athletes. Furthermore, in 9 out of 27 runners there was a significant increase in troponin T. However, in all these runners this increase was transient and troponin-T levels returned to baseline values 24 h after the marathon.


CONCLUSIONS
Running a marathon significantly increases NT-pro-BNP levels in healthy adults. This increase could be partially attributed to cardiac stress. The transient increases in BNP, NT-pro-BNP and troponin T are more likely to reflect myocardial stunning than cardiomyocyte damage. It seems that the magnitude of the increase in BNP could serve as a marker of the biological age of the myocardium.
Leers
Mathie P G
MP
Department of Clinical Chemistry and Hematology, Atrium Medical Center Parkstad, Heerlen, The Netherlands. m.leers@atriummc.nl
Schepers
Raymond
R
Baumgarten
Ruben
R
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006321:Heart / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017682:Myocardial Stunning / Q000097:blood; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain / Q000097:blood; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000097:blood; D012420:Running / Q000502:physiology*; D020107:Troponin T / Q000097:blood
D015415:Biomarkers; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D020107:Troponin T; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain; D006854:Hydrocortisone