Skip to main content

Lund University Publications

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

Effects on Cardiac Dimensions and Peak Oxygen Uptake After Long-Term Deconditioning in Elite Athletes

Bramell, Axel LU orcid ; Kjellström, Barbro LU ; Mosén, Henrik LU ; Dimovski, Kristian LU ; Arheden, Håkan LU and Steding-Ehrenborg, Katarina LU (2025) In Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports 35(5).
Abstract

This longitudinal observational study aimed to determine if ventricular dimensions of the athlete's heart remain balanced and proportional to peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak) following long-term deconditioning in elite athletes. Fourteen mixed-type male athletes (7 soccer, 7 handball players) were prospectively evaluated with cardiac magnetic resonance imaging and cardiopulmonary exercise testing while active at elite level and after retirement. Athletes were cross-sectionally compared to 14 age-matched controls at baseline and follow-up. Statistical analysis was performed using nonparametric tests. Descriptive statistics are presented as median [Q1, Q3]. Since baseline, athletes reported continued elite sports for 5 [2, 9] years... (More)

This longitudinal observational study aimed to determine if ventricular dimensions of the athlete's heart remain balanced and proportional to peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak) following long-term deconditioning in elite athletes. Fourteen mixed-type male athletes (7 soccer, 7 handball players) were prospectively evaluated with cardiac magnetic resonance imaging and cardiopulmonary exercise testing while active at elite level and after retirement. Athletes were cross-sectionally compared to 14 age-matched controls at baseline and follow-up. Statistical analysis was performed using nonparametric tests. Descriptive statistics are presented as median [Q1, Q3]. Since baseline, athletes reported continued elite sports for 5 [2, 9] years followed by retirement for 12 [7, 14] years. Left ventricular end-diastolic volume (LVEDV) decreased by 17% (261 mL to 222 mL, p < 0.001). Right ventricular end-diastolic volume (RVEDV) decreased by 14% (266 mL to 232 mL, p < 0.001). Left atrial end-systolic volume decreased by 16% (94 mL to 82 mL, p < 0.05). Peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak) decreased by 17% (3.96 L/min to 3.37 L/min, p < 0.001). There were no differences between athletes after retirement compared to controls. LVEDV and RVEDV were balanced in athletes at baseline (rs = 0.92, p < 0.001) and follow-up (rs = 0.92, p < 0.001). LVEDV and RVEDV indexed to VO2peak remained unchanged after deconditioning. Exercise-induced cardiac remodeling was reversible after long-term deconditioning in this cohort of elite athletes. LVEDV and RVEDV decreased and remained balanced and proportional to VO2peak. This study indicates that cardiac adaptations to sports are physiological. However, more research is needed to investigate the reversibility of exercise-induced cardiac remodeling in disciplines with higher demands on endurance performance.

(Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
cardiopulmonary exercise testing, detraining, exercise physiology, left atrium, left ventricle, right atrium, right ventricle
in
Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports
volume
35
issue
5
article number
e70071
publisher
Wiley-Blackwell
external identifiers
  • scopus:105005580440
  • pmid:40387290
ISSN
0905-7188
DOI
10.1111/sms.70071
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
58dd1800-5916-4a70-b1b4-4e910ad0b3e7
date added to LUP
2025-08-01 11:07:00
date last changed
2025-08-15 12:20:27
@article{58dd1800-5916-4a70-b1b4-4e910ad0b3e7,
  abstract     = {{<p>This longitudinal observational study aimed to determine if ventricular dimensions of the athlete's heart remain balanced and proportional to peak oxygen uptake (VO<sub>2</sub>peak) following long-term deconditioning in elite athletes. Fourteen mixed-type male athletes (7 soccer, 7 handball players) were prospectively evaluated with cardiac magnetic resonance imaging and cardiopulmonary exercise testing while active at elite level and after retirement. Athletes were cross-sectionally compared to 14 age-matched controls at baseline and follow-up. Statistical analysis was performed using nonparametric tests. Descriptive statistics are presented as median [Q1, Q3]. Since baseline, athletes reported continued elite sports for 5 [2, 9] years followed by retirement for 12 [7, 14] years. Left ventricular end-diastolic volume (LVEDV) decreased by 17% (261 mL to 222 mL, p &lt; 0.001). Right ventricular end-diastolic volume (RVEDV) decreased by 14% (266 mL to 232 mL, p &lt; 0.001). Left atrial end-systolic volume decreased by 16% (94 mL to 82 mL, p &lt; 0.05). Peak oxygen uptake (VO<sub>2</sub>peak) decreased by 17% (3.96 L/min to 3.37 L/min, p &lt; 0.001). There were no differences between athletes after retirement compared to controls. LVEDV and RVEDV were balanced in athletes at baseline (r<sub>s</sub> = 0.92, p &lt; 0.001) and follow-up (r<sub>s</sub> = 0.92, p &lt; 0.001). LVEDV and RVEDV indexed to VO<sub>2</sub>peak remained unchanged after deconditioning. Exercise-induced cardiac remodeling was reversible after long-term deconditioning in this cohort of elite athletes. LVEDV and RVEDV decreased and remained balanced and proportional to VO<sub>2</sub>peak. This study indicates that cardiac adaptations to sports are physiological. However, more research is needed to investigate the reversibility of exercise-induced cardiac remodeling in disciplines with higher demands on endurance performance.</p>}},
  author       = {{Bramell, Axel and Kjellström, Barbro and Mosén, Henrik and Dimovski, Kristian and Arheden, Håkan and Steding-Ehrenborg, Katarina}},
  issn         = {{0905-7188}},
  keywords     = {{cardiopulmonary exercise testing; detraining; exercise physiology; left atrium; left ventricle; right atrium; right ventricle}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{5}},
  publisher    = {{Wiley-Blackwell}},
  series       = {{Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports}},
  title        = {{Effects on Cardiac Dimensions and Peak Oxygen Uptake After Long-Term Deconditioning in Elite Athletes}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/sms.70071}},
  doi          = {{10.1111/sms.70071}},
  volume       = {{35}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}