title: Athlete's heart patterns in elite rugby players: effects of training specificities.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Athlete's heart patterns have been widely described. However, to our knowledge, few studies have focused on professional rugby players, who train differently according to their field position.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To describe electrocardiographic and echocardiographic patterns observed in elite rugby players according to their field position.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred and thirty-five professional rugby players at the end of the competitive season were included.
  
  
  RESULTS
  According to a modified Pelliccia's classification, 68.1% of electrocardiograms were normal or had minor abnormalities, 27.2% were mildly abnormal and 3.7% were distinctly abnormal. Heart rate was higher in scrum first-row players (P<0.05). Absolute and indexed left ventricular end-diastolic internal diameters (LVIDd; absolute value 59.3±4.7 mm) exceeded 65 mm and 32 mm/m2 in 13% and 1.5% of players, respectively. Indexed LVIDd values were higher in back players (P<0.001). Left ventricular interventricular septum and posterior wall thicknesses (absolute values 9.4±1.7 mm and 9.2±1.6 mm, respectively) exceeded 13 mm in 3.7% of players. Concentric cardiac hypertrophy was noted in 3.7% of players. Except for one Wolff-Parkinson-White pattern, players with significant ECG or echocardiographic abnormalities showed no cardiovascular event or disease during follow-up.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Thus, elite rugby players present similar heart patterns to elite athletes in other sports. Major electrocardiographic and echocardiographic abnormalities are quite rare. Eccentric cardiac remodelling is more frequent in back players.
authors.affiliation: Sport Clinic, Bordeaux, France.
authors.forename: Laurent
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chevalier
authors.forename: Gaëlle
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kervio
authors.forename: Luc
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Corneloup
authors.forename: Marie-Pierre
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Vincent
authors.forename: Christophe
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Baudot
authors.forename: Jean-Louis
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Rebeyrol
authors.forename: Francis
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Merle
authors.forename: Laurent
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gencel
authors.forename: François
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Carré
mesh_terms: D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D000328:Adult; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D001830:Body Surface Area; D059267:Cardiomegaly, Exercise-Induced; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D018619:Echocardiography, Doppler, Pulsed; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005538:Football; D006339:Heart Rate; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D017379:Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008297:Male; D005082:Physical Exertion; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies; D020257:Ventricular Remodeling; D055815:Young Adult