TY - JOUR
T1 - Lifelong Physical Activity Regardless of Dose Is Not Associated with Myocardial Fibrosis
AU - Abdullah, Shuaib M.
AU - Barkley, Kyler W.
AU - Bhella, Paul S.
AU - Hastings, Jeffrey L.
AU - Matulevicius, Susan
AU - Fujimoto, Naoki
AU - Shibata, Shigeki
AU - Carrick-Ranson, Graeme
AU - Palmer, M. Dean
AU - Gandhi, Nainesh
AU - Defina, Laura F.
AU - Levine, Benjamin D.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2016 American Heart Association, Inc.
PY - 2016/11/1
Y1 - 2016/11/1
N2 - Background-Recent reports have suggested that long-term, intensive physical training may be associated with adverse cardiovascular effects, including the development of myocardial fibrosis. However, the dose-response association of different levels of lifelong physical activity on myocardial fibrosis has not been evaluated. Methods and Results-Seniors free of major chronic illnesses were recruited from predefined populations based on the consistent documentation of stable physical activity over >25 years and were classified into 4 groups by the number of sessions/week of aerobic activities ≥30 minutes: sedentary (group 1), <2 sessions; casual (group 2), 2 to 3 sessions; committed (group 3), 4 to 5 sessions; and Masters athletes (group 4), 6 to 7 sessions plus regular competitions. All subjects underwent cardiopulmonary exercise testing and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging, including late gadolinium enhancement assessment of fibrosis. Ninety-two subjects (mean age 69 years, 27% women) were enrolled. No significant differences in age or sex were seen between groups. Median peak oxygen uptake was 25, 26, 32, and 40 mL/kg/min for groups 1, 2, 3, and 4, respectively. Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated increasing left ventricular end-diastolic volumes, end-systolic volumes, stroke volumes, and masses with increasing doses of lifelong physical activity. One subject in group 2 had late gadolinium enhancement in a noncoronary distribution, and no subjects in groups 3 and 4 had evidence of late gadolinium enhancement. Conclusions-A lifelong history of consistent physical activity, regardless of dose ranging from sedentary to competitive marathon running, was not associated with the development of focal myocardial fibrosis.
AB - Background-Recent reports have suggested that long-term, intensive physical training may be associated with adverse cardiovascular effects, including the development of myocardial fibrosis. However, the dose-response association of different levels of lifelong physical activity on myocardial fibrosis has not been evaluated. Methods and Results-Seniors free of major chronic illnesses were recruited from predefined populations based on the consistent documentation of stable physical activity over >25 years and were classified into 4 groups by the number of sessions/week of aerobic activities ≥30 minutes: sedentary (group 1), <2 sessions; casual (group 2), 2 to 3 sessions; committed (group 3), 4 to 5 sessions; and Masters athletes (group 4), 6 to 7 sessions plus regular competitions. All subjects underwent cardiopulmonary exercise testing and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging, including late gadolinium enhancement assessment of fibrosis. Ninety-two subjects (mean age 69 years, 27% women) were enrolled. No significant differences in age or sex were seen between groups. Median peak oxygen uptake was 25, 26, 32, and 40 mL/kg/min for groups 1, 2, 3, and 4, respectively. Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated increasing left ventricular end-diastolic volumes, end-systolic volumes, stroke volumes, and masses with increasing doses of lifelong physical activity. One subject in group 2 had late gadolinium enhancement in a noncoronary distribution, and no subjects in groups 3 and 4 had evidence of late gadolinium enhancement. Conclusions-A lifelong history of consistent physical activity, regardless of dose ranging from sedentary to competitive marathon running, was not associated with the development of focal myocardial fibrosis.
KW - Athlete's heart
KW - exercise
KW - magnetic resonance imaging
KW - myocardial fibrosis
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U2 - 10.1161/CIRCIMAGING.116.005511
DO - 10.1161/CIRCIMAGING.116.005511
M3 - Article
C2 - 27903541
AN - SCOPUS:84995752508
SN - 1941-9651
VL - 9
JO - Circulation: Cardiovascular Imaging
JF - Circulation: Cardiovascular Imaging
IS - 11
M1 - e005511
ER -