Effect of regular exercise after third decade on Doppler-derived left ventricular filling

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Exercise Physiology
• Echocardiography

Background:

• Aging is associated with declines in left ventricular diastolic function.
• Regular physical activity is known to influence cardiovascular health.
• Pulsed tissue Doppler echocardiography is a valuable tool for assessing diastolic function.

Purpose of the Study:

• To prospectively evaluate the impact of regular exercise on left ventricular filling properties in adults over 35 years old.
• To compare echocardiographic findings in older exercising adults with age-matched sedentary adults and younger adults.
• To determine if regular exercise can mitigate age-related changes in diastolic function.

Main Methods:

• Prospective study design comparing three groups: older exercising adults (>35 yrs, Group I), age-matched sedentary adults (>35 yrs, Group II), and younger adults (22-35 yrs, Group III).
• Pulsed tissue Doppler echocardiography was used to measure early (E) and late (A) wave velocities.
• Statistical analysis was performed to compare Doppler parameters between the groups.

Main Results:

• Group I (older exercising) and Group III (younger) showed significantly higher average E waves (14.0-15.1) compared to Group II (sedentary, 12.5).
• Groups I and III exhibited significantly lower average A waves (8.2) than Group II (10.6).
• The E/A ratio was significantly higher in exercising groups (1.8-1.9) compared to the sedentary group (1.3), indicating preserved diastolic function.

Conclusions:

• Regular exercise after age 35 effectively preserves left ventricular filling properties.
• Exercise counteracts the age-related decrease in early diastolic filling (E wave) and increase in atrial contribution (A wave).
• Maintaining a higher E/A ratio through regular exercise suggests a beneficial effect on diastolic function, preventing age-related decline.