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Cardiac drift during prolonged exercise with echocardiographic evidence of reduced diastolic function of the heart

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Abstract

This study examined whether, in 16 male subjects, a continuous increase in heart rate (HR) during 4 h of ergometry cycling relates to cardiac fatigue or cardiomyocyte damage. Serum cardiac troponin T (cTnT) was determined and echocardiographic assessment was carried out prior to and after 2 h of exercise, within 15 min of completing exercise and after 24 h. Left ventricular contractile function (end-systolic blood pressure–volume relationship [SBP/ESV]) and diastolic filling (ratio of early to late peak left ventricular filling velocities [E:A]) were calculated. During exercise HR was 132±5 beats min−1 after 2 h and increased to 141±5 beats min−1 (mean ± SD; P<0.05), but there was no evidence of altered LV contractile function (SBP/ESV 39.0±5.1 mmHg cm−1 to 36.5±5.2 mmHg cm−1 and SBP/ESV was not correlated to maximal oxygen uptake (r2=0.363). In contrast, E:A decreased (1.82±0.32 to 1.48±0.30; P<0.05) and returned towards baseline after 24 h (1.78±0.28), and individual changes were correlated to maximal oxygen uptake (r2=0.61; P<0.05). Low levels of cTnT were detected in two subjects after 4 h of exercise that had normalised by 24 h of recovery. During prolonged exercise cardiovascular drift occurred with echocardiographic signs of a reduced diastolic function of the heart, especially in those subjects with a high maximal oxygen uptake.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for Clinical and Biophysical Research in Human Movement, Manchester Metropolitan University, Hassall Road, Alsager, ST7 2HL, UK

    E. A. Dawson

  2. The Copenhagen Muscle Research Centre, Department of Anaesthesia, Rigshospitalet, Section 2041, Blegdamsvej 9, 2100, Copenhagen Ø, Denmark

    E. A. Dawson

  3. Department of Sport Sciences, Brunel University, Uxbridge, UB8 3PH, UK

    R. Shave

  4. Research Institute for Sport and Exercise Science, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, L3 2ET, UK

    K George

  5. British Olympic Medical Institute, Northwick Park Hospital, Harrow, Middlesex, HA1 3UJ, UK

    G. Whyte

  6. School of Medical Sciences, College of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, AB25 2ZD, UK

    D. Ball

  7. Department of Chemical Pathology, St. George’s Hospital Medical School, Tooting, London, SW17 0RE, UK

    D. Gaze & P. Collinson

Authors
  1. E. A. Dawson
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  2. R. Shave
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  3. K George
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  4. G. Whyte
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  5. D. Ball
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  6. D. Gaze
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  7. P. Collinson
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Correspondence to E. A. Dawson.

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Dawson, E.A., Shave, R., George, K. et al. Cardiac drift during prolonged exercise with echocardiographic evidence of reduced diastolic function of the heart. Eur J Appl Physiol 94, 305–309 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-005-1318-3

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