title: Predominance of normal left ventricular geometry in the male 'athlete's heart'.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study evaluated (a) global LV adaption to endurance versus resistance training in male athletes, (b) LV assessment using by modern imaging technologies and (c) the impact of scaling for body size on LV structural data.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective cross-sectional design assessed the LV in 18 elite endurance-trained (ET), 19 elite resistance-trained (RT) and 17 sedentary control (CT) participants. Standard 2D, tissue Doppler and speckle tracking echocardiography assessed LV structure and function. Indexing of LV structures to body surface area (BSA) was undertaken using ratio and allometric scaling.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Absolute and scaled LV end-diastolic volume (ET: 43.7±6.8; RT: 34.2±7.4; CT 32.5±8.9 mL/m(1.5); p<0.05) and LV mass (ET: 29.8±6.6; RT: 25.4±8.7; CT 25.9±6.4 g/m(2.7); p < 0.05) were significantly higher in ET compared with RT and CT. LV wall thickness were not different between ET and RT. 65% of ET and 95% of RT had normal geometry. Stroke volume was higher in ET compared with both RT and CT (p<0.05). Whilst regional tissue velocity data were not different between groups, longitudinal and basal circumferential strain (ε) was reduced in RT compared with ET.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this comprehensive evaluation of the male athlete's heart (AH), normal LV geometry was predominant in both athlete groups. In the ET, 30% demonstrated an eccentric hypertrophy with no concentric hypertrophy in RT. Cardiac ε data in RT require further evaluation, and any interpretation of LV size should appropriately index for differences in body size.
authors.affiliation: Research Institute for Sport and Exercise Sciences, Liverpool John Moore's University, Liverpool, UK.
authors.forename: Victor
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Utomi
authors.affiliation: Research Institute for Sport and Exercise Sciences, Liverpool John Moore's University, Liverpool, UK.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Oxborough
authors.affiliation: Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing Lab, Stanford University, Centre for Inherited Cardiovascular Disease, Stanford, California, USA.
authors.forename: Euan
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ashley
authors.affiliation: Research Institute for Sport and Exercise Sciences, Liverpool John Moore's University, Liverpool, UK.
authors.forename: Rachel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lord
authors.affiliation: Cardiology Department, Airedale General Hospital, Keighley, UK.
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fletcher
authors.affiliation: School of Sport, Cardiff Metropolitan University, Cardiff, UK.
authors.forename: Mike
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stembridge
authors.affiliation: School of Sport, Cardiff Metropolitan University, Cardiff, UK.
authors.forename: Rob
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Shave
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, Department of Veterans Affairs, Northern California Health Care System, and University of California Davis Medical Centre, Sacramento, California, USA.
authors.forename: Martin D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Hoffman
authors.affiliation: Research Institute for Sport and Exercise Sciences, Liverpool John Moore's University, Liverpool, UK.
authors.forename: Greg
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Whyte
authors.affiliation: Research Institute for Sport and Exercise Sciences, Liverpool John Moore's University, Liverpool, UK Cardiology Department, Countess of Chester Hospital, Chester, UK.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Somauroo
authors.affiliation: St George's University Hospital London, London, South West London, UK.
authors.forename: Sanjay
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.affiliation: Research Institute for Sport and Exercise Sciences, Liverpool John Moore's University, Liverpool, UK.
authors.forename: Keith
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: George
mesh_terms: D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D000328:Adult; D056352:Athletes / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D049628:Body Size; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D015150:Echocardiography, Doppler / Q000379:methods; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D017379:Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D009929:Organ Size; D010807:Physical Endurance / Q000502:physiology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D055070:Resistance Training; D012420:Running / Q000502:physiology*; D013318:Stroke Volume / Q000502:physiology; D006113:United Kingdom