title: Left atrial remodelling in competitive adolescent soccer players.
abstract: Left atrial (LA) enlargement and improved myocardial diastolic properties are a component of athlete's heart. We performed a longitudinal study involving adolescent athletes to investigate the impact of training on LA remodelling and diastolic function. 21 competitive adolescent soccer players were enrolled and engaged in an 8-month training program. Echocardiographic analysis was performed at baseline, after 4 and 8 months. We assessed diastolic function by Doppler tissue imaging and we analyzed LA adaptations by 2D speckle-tracking echocardiography. After 4 months, LA mean volume index significantly increased (Δ=5.47 ± 4.38 mL/m2, p ≤ 0.0001). After 8 months, a further increase occurred (Δ=8.95 ± 4.47 mL/m2, p ≤ 0.0001). A higher E velocity (p=0.001; p=0.001), a greater E/A ratio (p=0.002; p=0.0009), a higher e' peak (p= 0.005; p=0.001), and a greater e'/a' ratio (p=0.01; p=0.0006) were observed at 4 and at 8 months, respectively. E/e' ratio significantly decreased after 8 months (p ≤ 0.005). Global peak atrial longitudinal strain and global peak atrial contraction strain values significantly decreased after 8 months (p=0.0004, p=0.01, respectively). An 8-month training program is associated with LA dimensional and functional training-specific adaptations in competitive adolescent soccer players. Myocardial diastolic properties can improve after training also in subjects already presenting with features of athlete's heart.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Diseases, University of Siena, Siena, Italy. flavio.dascenzi@libero.it
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: D'Ascenzi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cameli
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lisi
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Zacà
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Natali
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Malandrino
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Benincasa
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Catanese
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Causarano
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mondillo
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D056352:Athletes; D018619:Echocardiography, Doppler, Pulsed / Q000379:methods; D004562:Electrocardiography; D006321:Heart / Q000502:physiology*; D006325:Heart Atria / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D009929:Organ Size / Q000502:physiology; D012916:Soccer / Q000502:physiology*