Supernormal functional reserve of apical segments in elite soccer players: an ultrasound speckle tracking handgrip stress study

Laura Stefani¹ , Loira Toncelli¹ , Valentina Di Tante¹ , Maria Concetta Roberta Vono¹ , Brunello Cappelli¹ , Gianni Pedrizzetti² and Giorgio Galanti¹

¹Sports Medicine Center, Non-invasive cardiac laboratory, University of Florence, Italy

²Dept. Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Trieste, Italy

author email corresponding author email

Cardiovascular Ultrasound 2008, 6:14doi:10.1186/1476-7120-6-14


Published:	16 April 2008

Abstract

Background

Ultrasound speckle tracking from grey scale images allows the assessment of regional strain derived from 2D regardless of angle intonation, and it is highly reproducible. The study aimed to evaluate regional left ventricular functional reserve in elite soccer players.

Methods

50 subjects (25 elite athletes and 25 sedentary controls), aged 26 ± 3.5, were submitted to an echo exam, at rest and after the Hand Grip (HG) test. Both standard echo parameters and strain were evaluated.

Results

Ejection fraction was similar in athletes and controls both at rest (athletes 58 ± 2 vs controls 57 ± 4 p ns) and after HG (athletes 60 ± 2 vs controls 58 ± 3 p ns). Basal (septal and anterior) segments showed similar strain values in athletes and controls both at rest (athletes S% -19.9 ± 4.2; controls S% -18.8 ± 4.9 p = ns) and after HG (athletes S% -20.99 ± 2.8; controls S% -19.46 ± 4.4 p = ns). Medium-apical segments showed similar strain values at rest (athletes S% -17.31 ± 2.3; controls S% -20.00 ± 5.3 p = ns), but higher values in athletes after HG (athletes S% -24.47 ± 2.8; controls S% -20.47 ± 5.4 p < 0.05)

Conclusion

In athletes with physiological myocardial hypertrophy, a brief isometric effort produces enhancement of the strain in medium-apical left ventricular segments, suggesting the presence of a higher regional function reserve which can be elicited with an inotropic challenge and suitable methods of radial function quantification such as 2D-derived strain.