This Article Figures Only Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Whalley, G. A. Articles by Baldi, J. C. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Whalley, G. A. Articles by Baldi, J. C.

TRAINING AND LEFT VENTRICULAR MASS

Association of fat-free mass and training status with left ventricular size and mass in endurance-trained athletes

Gillian A. Whalley, MHSc, DMU^*,*, Robert N. Doughty, MD, FRACP^*, Greg D. Gamble, MSc^*, Helen C. Oxenham, MBChB, MRCP^*, Helen J. Walsh, RN, BSc^*, Ian R. Reid, FRACP, MD^* and James C. Baldi, PhD

^* Departments of Medicine
Sport and Exercise Science, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand

Manuscript received December 18, 2003; revised manuscript received April 21, 2004, accepted April 27, 2004.

^* Reprint requests and correspondence: Ms. Gillian A. Whalley, Department of Medicine, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92 019, Auckland, New Zealand (Email: g.whalley{at}auckland.ac.nz).

OBJECTIVES: We sought to study the relationship between left ventricular (LV) size and body composition in male endurance athletes and age-matched control subjects.

BACKGROUND: Endurance training is associated with increases in both left ventricular mass (LVM) and left ventricular end-diastolic dimension (LVEDD) in athletes. In other populations, LVM is independently predicted by fat-free mass (FFM). We hypothesized that the increase in LV size and mass observed with training may be a normal response to increased FFM.

METHODS: Twelve young and 18 older male endurance athletes and 10 young and 18 older untrained men underwent exercise testing, echocardiography, and dual-photon x-ray absorptiometry body composition analysis. Univariate correlates (Spearman) and multivariate determinants of LVM and LVEDD were sought from: height, height^1.4, height^2.7, height^3.0, body surface area (BSA), FFM, weight, and body mass index. Un-indexed and indexed LVM and LVEDD were then compared.

RESULTS: Athletes were of a similar age, weight, and height, but had higher FFM and maximum oxygen uptake than untrained men. Both LVM and LVEDD were correlated with body size, including FFM, BSA, weight, and height (all p < 0.05). On multivariate analysis, FFM was the only independent predictor of both LVM (R² = 0.36, p < 0.001) and LVEDD (R² = 0.35, p < 0.001). Furthermore, LVM and LVEDD (un-indexed and indexed to BSA and height) were different between athletes and non-athletes, but not when indexed to height^2.7 or FFM.

CONCLUSIONS: Both LVM and LVEDD are predicted by FFM in endurance athletes, and when indexed to FFM, no training-related differences were observed. Thus, the extent of LV remodeling (athletic heart) in trained individuals may reflect a normal physiologic response to increased FFM induced by training.

Abbreviations and Acronyms   BMI = body mass index   BP = blood pressure   BSA = body surface area   DEXA = dual-photon X-ray absorptiometry   FFM = fat-free mass   LV = left ventricle   LVEDD = left ventricular end-diastolic dimension   LVH = left ventricular hypertrophy   LVM = left ventricular mass   VO2max = maximum oxygen uptake

This article has been cited by other articles:

				F. E. Dewey, D. Rosenthal, D. J. Murphy Jr, V. F. Froelicher, and E. A. Ashley Does Size Matter?: Clinical Applications of Scaling Cardiac Size and Function for Body Size Circulation, April 29, 2008; 117(17): 2279 - 2287. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				P. D. Chantler, R. E. Clements, L. Sharp, K. P. George, L.-B. Tan, and D. F. Goldspink The influence of body size on measurements of overall cardiac function Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol, November 1, 2005; 289(5): H2059 - H2065. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				E. Abergel and A. A. Hagege Detection of Pathologic or Physiologic Left Ventricular Remodeling in Athletes J. Am. Coll. Cardiol., May 17, 2005; 45(10): 1731 - 1731. [Full Text] [PDF]

				G. A. Whalley, R. N. Doughty, and J. C. Baldi Reply J. Am. Coll. Cardiol., May 17, 2005; 45(10): 1731 - 1731. [Full Text]

				H. Wieneke, C. von Birgelen, M. Haude, H. Eggebrecht, S. Mohlenkamp, A. Schmermund, D. Bose, C. Altmann, T. Bartel, and R. Erbel Determinants of coronary blood flow in humans: quantification by intracoronary Doppler and ultrasound J Appl Physiol, March 1, 2005; 98(3): 1076 - 1082. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]