[ECG and 24-hour ECG findings in athletes of static and dynamic disciplines].
Endurance sports are associated with structural and functional changes in the myocardium. Physiologic changes representing cardiac adaptation to training are termed "athletic heart".


OBJECTIVE
We compared the incidence of arrhythmias and conduction abnormalities in athletes of static and dynamic sports using resting and 24 hour electrocardiography. We also studied the effect of physiologic left ventricular hypertrophy on the incidence of arrhythmias and conduction abnormalities in athletes, as well as of training duration on electrocardiographic parameters.


METHODS
We enrolled 40 male athletes of static and 40 of dynamic sports, as well as 30 normally active males. A 12-lead resting ECG, 24 hour ECG, and echocardiography were done.


RESULTS
The resting heart reate in athletes was significantly slower (p < 0.0001). No intervals longer than 3s, bundle branch or atrioventricular blocks were disclosed. The finding of left ventricular bypertrophy and training duration had no significant effect on the presence and number of supraventricular and ventricular arrhythmias or blocks.


CONCLUSIONS
Resting ECG, echocardiography, and 24 hour ECG provide valuable cardiologic information in athletes. The heart rate was slower in all athletes and the PQ interval was longer as compared with controls. No serious arrhythmias or conduction abnormalities were noted. The duration of training and the presence of myocardial hypertrophy had no effect on electrocardiographic parameters.
Płońska
Edyta
E
Pomorska Akademia Medyczna w Szczecinie, Klinika Kardiologii. dytaplonska@life.pl
Kamiński
Leszek
L
Peregud
Małgorzata
M
Szyszka
Andrzej
A
Wojtarowicz
Andrzej
A
Kaźmierczak
Jarosław
J
Kornacewicz-Jach
Zdzisława
Z
D000328:Adult; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015897:Comorbidity; D004452:Echocardiography; D004562:Electrocardiography; D015716:Electrocardiography, Ambulatory; D006801:Humans; D017379:Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D010807:Physical Endurance; D013177:Sports / Q000502:physiology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*