rss
Br J Sports Med 2007;41:447-452 doi:10.1136/bjsm.2006.031534
  • Original article

Biochemical evidence of myocardial fibrosis in veteran endurance athletes

  1. M Mitchell Lindsay1,
  2. Francis G Dunn2
  1. 1Department of Cardiology, Western Infirmary, Glasgow, UK
  2. 2Stobhill General Hospital, Glasgow, UK
  1. Correspondence to:
 Dr M M Lindsay
 Department of Cardiology, Western Infirmary, Glasgow G11 6NT, UK; mitchell{at}mlindsay.fsbusiness.co.uk
  • Accepted 7 February 2007
  • Published Online First 20 February 2007

Abstract

Background: Studies on exercise-induced left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) in veteran athletes suggest the presence of abnormal diastolic filling and incomplete regression of LVH on cessation of exercise.

Hypothesis: Myocardial fibrosis occurs in exercise induced LVH in veteran athletes.

Aim: To document non-invasively the presence of fibrosis in veteran athletes

Design: Prospective case–control study.

Setting: City centre district general hospital.

Participants: 45 normotensive elite veteran athletes and 45 normal sedentary subjects.

Interventions: Echocardiographic assessment was made of LV mass, LV systolic and LV diastolic function. Plasma carboxyterminal propeptide of collagen type I (PICP), carboxyterminal telopeptide of collagen type I (CITP) and tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase type I (TIMP-1) were measured as markers of collagen synthesis, degradation and inhibition of degradation, respectively.

Results: Veteran athletes had significant elevation in LV dimensions and calculated LV mass index (LVMI). Diastolic and systolic function was normal. Plasma PICP (259 vs 166 μg/l, p<0.001), CITP (5.4 vs 2.9 μg/l, p<0.001) and TIMP-1 (350 vs 253 ng/ml, p = 0.01) were elevated in the cohort of athletes. There was a further elevation of TIMP-1 in athletes with echocardiographic LVH, defined as an LVMI >130 g/m2 (417 vs 266 ng/ml, p = 0.02).

Conclusion: There is biochemical evidence of disruption of the collagen equilibrium favouring fibrosis in veteran athletes with LVH. This may suggest that fibrosis occurs as part of the hypertrophic process in veteran athletes.

Footnotes

  • Published Online First 20 February 2007

  • Competing interests: None declared.

This Article

  1. Abstract
  2. Full text
  3. PDF

Responses

  1. Submit a response
  2. No responses published

Register for free content

The full back archive is now available for all BMJ Journals. Institutional subscribers may access the entire archive as part of their subscription. Personal subscribers will also have access to all content when logged in. Non-subscribers who register have free access to all articles published before 2006 right back to volume 1 issue 1. Register here to access the free archive of all BMJ Journals.

Don't forget to sign up for content alerts so you keep up to date with all the articles as they are published.