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Aims There is a paucity of data regarding the changes of cardiac geometry in highly trained international and multiracial university athletes. We aimed to investigate the incidence of structural cardiac abnormalities and changes of cardiac geometry in highly trained university athletes. Methods and results Comprehensive echocardiographic studies were performed in 1185 university athletes through the Check-up Your Heart Program during the 2015 Gwangju Summer Universiade. Participants were divided into two groups: normal vs. abnormal left ventricular (LV) geometry (concentric remodelling, concentric hypertrophy, or eccentric hypertrophy). Structural heart diseases associated with sudden cardiac death were not identified, but minor structural cardiac abnormalities were common in university athletes. One hundred and fifty-six athletes (13.2%) had abnormal LV geometry; concentric remodelling (n  = 73, 6.2%), concentric hypertrophy (n  = 25, 2.1%), and eccentric hypertrophy (n  = 58, 4.9%). Abnormal LV geometry was significantly more common in athletes of African descent and in endurance, mixed, or power disciplines. In multivariate logistic regression analysis, athletes of African descent [odds ratio (OR) 2.16, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.34–3.46; P  = 0.001], endurance disciplines (OR 1.79, 95% CI 1.26–2.54; P  = 0.001), and training time (OR 1.01, 95% CI 1.00–1.02; P  = 0.045) were independent predictors of abnormal LV geometry. Conclusion A large scale cardiovascular screening programme of the 2015 Summer Universiade demonstrated that abnormal LV geometry is not uncommon (13.2%) and concentric remodelling is the most common pattern of LV geometric change in young trained university athletes. Race, type of sport, and training time are significant predictors of abnormal LV geometry. Structural cardiac abnormalities are common in university athletes even though they are minor abnormalities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. To evaluate the safety and efficacy of moderate-to-high intensity aerobic training in breast cancer patients receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Methods. Twenty patients with stage IIB-IIIC operable breast cancer were randomly assigned to receive doxorubicin plus cyclophosphamide (AC) or AC in combination with aerobic training (AC + AET) (n = 10/group) for 12 weeks. The AC+ AET group performed three supervised aerobic cycle ergometry sessions per week at 60%-100% of exercise capacity (VO2peak). Safety outcomes included exercise testing as well as treatment- and exercise training-related adverse events (AEs), whereas efficacy outcomes included cardiopulmonary function and patient-reported outcomes (PROs) as measured by a cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET) and Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Breast (FACT-B) scale. Results. Twelve non-significant ECG abnormalities and three non-life threatening events occurred during CPET procedures. One AE was reported during aerobic training. There were no significant between group differences for clinician-documented events (e.g. pain, nausea) or hematological parameters (p's > 0.05). Attendance and adherence rates to aerobic training were 82% and 66%, respectively. Intention-to-treat analysis indicated that VO2peak increased by 2.6 ± 3.5 ml/kg/min (+ 13.3%) in the AC + AET group and decreased by 1.5 ± 2.2 ml/kg/min (−8.6%) in the AC group (between group difference, p = 0.001). FACT-B increased 11.1 points in the AC + AET group compared to a 1.5 point decrease in the AC group (between group difference, p = 0.685). Conclusion. Moderate-to-high intensity aerobic training when conducted with one-on-one supervision is a safe adjunct therapy associated with improvements in cardiopulmonary function and select PROs during neoadjuvant chemotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Intensive and repetitive athletic training may result in cardiac geometric changes, but the determinants of left atrial (LA) enlargement (LAE) has been poorly studied. We investigated incidence and determinants of LAE and its association with LA strains in highly trained university athletes., Methods and Results: A total of 1073 athletes (451 females, 22.4 ± 2.4 years old) who were able to measure LA size, volume, and strains during 2015 Gwangju Summer Universiade were enrolled. LAE was defined as the increased LA volume index > 42 mL/m2. LA strains, reservoir, conduit, and contractile were measured by 2D speckle tracking method, and LA reservoir strain < 27.6% was considered as abnormal. LAE was developed in 205 athletes (19.1%). In univariate analysis, male [odds ratio (OR) = 1.679], Caucasian (OR = 1.746), non-African descent (OR = 1.804), body muscle mass (OR = 1.056), body fat mass (OR = 0.962), systolic blood pressure (OR = 1.012), heart rate (OR = 0.980), sports type with cardiovascular (CV) demand (OR = 1.474), training time (OR = 1.011), left ventricular (LV) global longitudinal strain (LVGLS, OR = 0.906), and LV stroke volume (LVSV, OR = 1.044) were significantly associated with LAE. In multivariate logistic regression analysis, heart rate (OR = 0.961) and sports type with CV demand (OR = 1.299), LVGLS (OR = 0.865) and LVSV (OR = 1.013) were independent determinants of LAE. Abnormal LA reservoir strain was noted in 56 athletes (5.2%), and the incidence of abnormal value was not different between two groups; 42 athletes (4.8%) in LAE vs. 14 (6.8%) in no LAE group (P = 0.293)., Conclusion: LAE was common in university athletes (19.1%) and associated with heart rate, sports type with CV demand, LVGLS, and LVSV. Although LAE was significantly associated with the lower LA reservoir strain, the incidence of abnormal value was very low (5.2%) and indifferent between LAE and no LAE group., (Published on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology. All rights reserved. © The Author(s) 2020. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Aims: There is a paucity of data regarding the changes of cardiac geometry in highly trained international and multiracial university athletes. We aimed to investigate the incidence of structural cardiac abnormalities and changes of cardiac geometry in highly trained university athletes., Methods and Results: Comprehensive echocardiographic studies were performed in 1185 university athletes through the Check-up Your Heart Program during the 2015 Gwangju Summer Universiade. Participants were divided into two groups: normal vs. abnormal left ventricular (LV) geometry (concentric remodelling, concentric hypertrophy, or eccentric hypertrophy). Structural heart diseases associated with sudden cardiac death were not identified, but minor structural cardiac abnormalities were common in university athletes. One hundred and fifty-six athletes (13.2%) had abnormal LV geometry; concentric remodelling (n = 73, 6.2%), concentric hypertrophy (n = 25, 2.1%), and eccentric hypertrophy (n = 58, 4.9%). Abnormal LV geometry was significantly more common in athletes of African descent and in endurance, mixed, or power disciplines. In multivariate logistic regression analysis, athletes of African descent [odds ratio (OR) 2.16, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.34-3.46; P = 0.001], endurance disciplines (OR 1.79, 95% CI 1.26-2.54; P = 0.001), and training time (OR 1.01, 95% CI 1.00-1.02; P = 0.045) were independent predictors of abnormal LV geometry., Conclusion: A large scale cardiovascular screening programme of the 2015 Summer Universiade demonstrated that abnormal LV geometry is not uncommon (13.2%) and concentric remodelling is the most common pattern of LV geometric change in young trained university athletes. Race, type of sport, and training time are significant predictors of abnormal LV geometry. Structural cardiac abnormalities are common in university athletes even though they are minor abnormalities., (Published on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology. All rights reserved. © The Author(s) 2018. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.)