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Assessment of Structure, Function, and Rhythm of the Heart with Echocardiography and Electrocardiography in Adolescent Swimmers

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Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate the cardiac parameters by using electrocardiography and echocardiography in adolescent swimmers. Twenty-two adolescent swimmers and 22 gender- and age-matched sedentary controls admitted to our center between November 2018 and May 2019 were included in this study. In addition to demographical characteristics, participants were assessed via a 12-lead electrocardiography and two-dimensional echocardiography for cardiac function. On the echocardiography, end-systolic and end-diastolic interventricular septum, end-systolic and end-diastolic left ventricular posterior wall thicknesses, left atrial width, Tricuspid E, left ventricular mass and left ventricular mass index were higher in the swimmers when compared to the sedentary controls (P < 0.05). On the electrocardiography, Tp-e duration which reflects ventricular transmural repolarization, and Tp-e/QT and Tp-e/corrected QT ratios were higher in the swimmers than the sedentary controls (P < 0.05). In conclusion, swimming exercise in children leads to concentric thickening of left ventricle and induces an increase in Tp-e duration, and Tp-e/QT and Tp-e/corrected QT ratios, which are the novel markers for risk of ventricular arrhythmias.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Paediatrics, Meram Faculty of Medicine, Necmettin Erbakan University, Konya, Turkey

    Abdullah Akkuş

  2. Division of Sports Physiology, Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Selçuk University, 42131, Konya, Turkey

    Muaz Belviranli & Nilsel Okudan

  3. Division of Paediatric Cardiology, Department of Paediatrics, Meram Faculty of Medicine, Necmettin Erbakan University, Konya, Turkey

    Fatih Şap

Authors
  1. Abdullah Akkuş
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  2. Muaz Belviranli
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  3. Fatih Şap
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  4. Nilsel Okudan
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Contributions

AA, MB, and NO conceived and designed the study. AA and FS performed the experiments. MB and FS wrote the paper. NO reviewed and edited the manuscript. All authors read and approved the manuscript for publication.

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Correspondence to Muaz Belviranli.

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Akkuş, A., Belviranli, M., Şap, F. et al. Assessment of Structure, Function, and Rhythm of the Heart with Echocardiography and Electrocardiography in Adolescent Swimmers. Pediatr Cardiol 42, 182–188 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00246-020-02469-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00246-020-02469-x

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