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Left atrial myocardial dysfunction after chronic abuse of anabolic androgenic steroids: a speckle tracking echocardiography analysis

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A Correction to this article was published on 17 July 2018

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Abstract

Anabolic–androgenic steroids (AAS) are used by power athletes to improve performance. However, the real effects of the chronic consumption of AAS on cardiovascular structures are subjects of intense debate. To detect by speckle tracking echocardiography (STE) underlying left atrial (LA) dysfunction in athletes abusing AAS and assess possible correlation between LA myocardial function and exercise capacity during cardiopulmonary stress test. 65 top-level competitive bodybuilders were selected (45 males), including 35 athletes misusing AAS for at least 5 years (users), 30 anabolic-free bodybuilders (non-users), compared to 40 age- and sex-matched healthy sedentary controls. Standard Doppler echocardiography, STE analysis and bicycle ergometric test were performed to assess LA myocardial function and exercise capacity. Athletes showed increased left ventricular (LV) mass index, wall thickness and stroke volume compared with controls, whereas LV ejection fraction, LV end-diastolic diameter and transmitral Doppler indexes were comparable between the three groups. Conversely, LA volume index, LV and LA strain and LV E/Em were significantly increased in AAS users. By multivariate analyses, LV E/Em (beta = − 0.30, p < 0.01), LA volume index (− 0.42, p < 0.001) and number of weeks of AAS use per year (− 0.54, p < 0.001) emerged as the only independent determinants of LA lateral wall peak STE. In addition, a close association between LA myocardial function and VO2 peak during cardiopulmonary exercise testing was evidenced (p < 0.001), showing a powerful incremental value with respect to clinical and standard echocardiographic data. STE represents a promising technique to assess LA myocardial function in athletes abusing steroids. AAS users showed a more impaired LA deformation, associated with reduced functional capacity during physical effort.

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Change history

  • 17 July 2018

    In the original publication of the article, the seventh author name “Giampaolo Tocci” has been misspelt. The correct name is given in this.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Chair of Cardiology, Monaldi Hospital, Luigi Vanvitelli University of Naples, Corso Vittorio Emanuele 121A, 80121, Naples, Italy

    Antonello D’Andrea, Juri Radmilovic, Andreina Carbone, Raffaella Scarafile, Simona Sperlongano, Giampaolo Tocci, Tiziana Formisano, Francesca Martone, Biagio Liccardo, Michele D’Alto & Paolo Golino

  2. Department of Cardiology, Sports Medicine and Science, Rome, Italy

    Stefano Caselli

  3. Department of Cardiology, A. Cardarelli Hospital, 80100, Naples, Italy

    Eduardo Bossone

  4. Department of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, Federico II° University of Naples, Naples, Italy

    Maurizio Galderisi

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  1. Antonello D’Andrea
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  2. Juri Radmilovic
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Correspondence to Antonello D’Andrea.

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Additional information

The ​original ​version ​of ​this ​article ​was ​revised: In the original publication of the article, the seventh author name “Giampaolo Tocci” has been misspelt. The correct name is given in the Article.

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D’Andrea, A., Radmilovic, J., Caselli, S. et al. Left atrial myocardial dysfunction after chronic abuse of anabolic androgenic steroids: a speckle tracking echocardiography analysis. Int J Cardiovasc Imaging 34, 1549–1559 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10554-018-1370-9

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