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Background— Few data are available that address the impact of athletic training on aortic root size. We investigated the distribution, determinants, and clinical significance of aortic root dimension in a large population of highly trained athletes. Methods and Results— Transverse aortic dimensions were assessed in 2317 athletes (56% male), free of cardiovascular disease, aged 24.8±6.1 (range, 9 to 59) years, engaged in 28 sports disciplines (28% participated in Olympic Games). In males, aortic root was 32.2±2.7 mm (range, 23 to 44; 99th percentile=40 mm); in females, aortic root was 27.5±2.6 mm (range, 20 to 36; 99th percentile=34 mm). Aortic root was enlarged ≥40 mm in 17 male (1.3%) and ≥34 mm in 10 female (0.9%) subjects. Over an 8-year follow-up period, aortic dimension increased in these male athletes (40.9±1.3 to 42.9±3.6 mm; P P =0.11) in female athletes. Multiple regression and covariance analysis showed that aortic dimension was largely explained by weight, height, left ventricular mass, and age ( R 2 =0.63; P P Conclusions— An aortic root dimension >40 mm in highly conditioned male athletes (and >34 mm in female athletes) is uncommon, is unlikely to represent the physiological consequence of exercise training, and is most likely an expression of a pathological condition, mandating close clinical surveillance.

OBJECTIVES: Prevalence, clinical significance, and long-term consequences of aortic root (AoR) dilatation in competitive athletes are not yet investigated. Our aim was to assess the distribution and determinants of AoR size in a large population of competitive athletes. METHODS: AoR dimension were assessed by echocardiography in 2,361 athletes participating in 48 different sports. Of them, 43 were excluded because aortic structural abnormalities, such as bicuspid aortic valve, Marfan’s Syndrome, aortic prosthesis. The remaining 2,318, including 1,301 (56%) males and 1,017 (44%) females were the study population. Arbitrary cut-off of ≥ 40 mm, according to #36 th Bethesda Conference, was used as upper normal limits for AoR. RESULTS: AoR dimension was 32.2 ± 2.7 mm (23 to 44) in males, and 27.5 ± 2.6 mm (20 to 36) in females. AoR dimension exceeded accepted upper limits in only 18 male athletes (0.8%). Figure . Multivariate regression analysis showed left ventricular (LV) mass and body size explaining majority of AoR variability (R 2 = 0,59). Surprisingly, type of sport was not a determinant for AoR dimension. The 18 athletes with enlarged AoR were periodically followed for 7.0 ± 4.2 years. None developed cardiovascular events or symptoms. Two showed progression of AoR dilatation (from 40 to 48, and 43 to 46 mm, respectively), one had incident myocarditis and one developed moderate aortic regurgitation with enlarged LV cavity. CONCLUSIONS: Dilated aortic root is an uncommon finding in competitive athletes and do not represent expression of physiologic cardiac remodelling of the athlete’s heart. Therefore, athletes with dilated AoR deserves continued clinical surveillance.

Background— The clinical significance and long-term consequences of left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy associated with intensive athletic conditioning remain unresolved. Methods and Results— We prospectively evaluated 40 elite male athletes who had shown marked LV cavity enlargement of ≥60 mm, wall thickness of ≥13 mm, or both in a longitudinal fashion with serial echocardiograms, initially at peak training (age 24±4 years) and subsequently after a long-term deconditioning period (1 to 13 years; mean, 5.6±3.8). After detraining, LV cavity dimension decreased by 7% (61.2±2.9 to 57.2±3.1 mm; P P P Conclusions— LV remodeling was evident after long-term detraining, with significant reduction in cavity size and normalization of wall thickness. Resolution of cavity enlargement was, however, incomplete in most cases, and substantial chamber dilatation persisted in >20% of athletes. The possibility that this residual LV hypertrophy, apparently part of the athlete’s heart syndrome, may have future long-term clinical implications in some individuals cannot be excluded with certainty.

Background —The prevalence, clinical significance, and determinants of abnormal ECG patterns in trained athletes remain largely unresolved. Methods and Results —We compared ECG patterns with cardiac morphology (as assessed by echocardiography) in 1005 consecutive athletes (aged 24±6 years; 75% male) who were participating in 38 sporting disciplines. ECG patterns were distinctly abnormal in 145 athletes (14%), mildly abnormal in 257 (26%), and normal or with minor alterations in 603 (60%). Structural cardiovascular abnormalities were identified in only 53 athletes (5%). Larger cardiac dimensions were associated with abnormal ECG patterns: left ventricular end-diastolic cavity dimensions were 56.0±5.6, 55.4±5.7, and 53.7±5.7 mm ( P P Conclusions —Most athletes (60%) in this large cohort had ECGs that were completely normal or showed only minor alterations. A variety of abnormal ECG patterns occurred in 40%; this was usually indicative of physiological cardiac remodeling. A small but important subgroup of athletes without cardiac morphological changes showed striking ECG abnormalities that suggested cardiovascular disease; however, these changes were likely an innocent consequence of long-term, intense athletic training and, therefore, another component of athlete heart syndrome. Such false-positive ECGs represent a potential limitation to routine ECG testing as part of preparticipation screening.