Does right ventricular remodeling in elite athletes persist years after training cessation?

Funding Acknowledgements Type of funding sources: None. Background Intense and prolonged exercise training induces morpho-functional cardiac changes, known as "athlete’s heart". The physiologic nature of this cardiac remodeling has been questioned and data on reversibility of cardiac remodeling, especially of the right ventricle (RV), after the suspension of high intensity training are scarce. Purpose To describe cardiac morpho-functional changes by echocardiography in a group of Olympic athletes prior the Olympic games (T1) and years after cessation of their competitive athletic career (T2). Methods Endurance athletes evaluated prior their participation to the Olympic games (edition 2004-2008-2012) and after cessation of their athletic career (> 3 years of cessation of intensive exercise training) were invited to be evaluated at our Institute. 12-lead ECG, exercise ECG test and echocardiogram were performed. Echocardiogram parameters at T1 and T2 were compared including left ventricle (LV) and RV dimension, systolic and diastolic function. Results 25 athletes were enrolled (mean age 47±2 years). The mean time from the end of their agonistic activity was 12 ± 7 years. No differences in terms of LV dimensions and function were observed (Table). Veterans showed a significant decrease in RV dimensions and improvement in function at T2 compared to T1. Conclusion After suspension of competitive training, Veteran athletes showed reverse remodeling of the right ventricle compared with the evaluation during the peak training by echocardiography.