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Ventricular septal defect in a world class runner.

A Boraita1, J Esteve-Lanao, M Pérez

  • 1Department of Cardiology, Sport Medicine Center, Higher Sports Council, Madrid, Spain.

British Journal of Sports Medicine
|June 25, 2005
PubMed
Summary

An elite young endurance runner competed at the World Cross Country Championships despite an undiagnosed ventricular septal defect (VSD). This VSD did not appear to impact his high-level athletic performance.

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Area of Science:

  • Sports Medicine
  • Cardiology
  • Exercise Physiology

Background:

  • Elite endurance athletes often undergo rigorous cardiac screening.
  • Congenital heart conditions like ventricular septal defects (VSDs) can present challenges in sports.
  • Understanding the impact of VSDs on athletic performance is crucial for athlete management.

Observation:

  • An 18-year-old elite East African male endurance runner achieved a top 15 ranking in the World Cross Country Championships (U21 category).
  • The athlete, a native of moderate altitude (approx. 3000m), was diagnosed with a small ventricular septal defect (VSD; 0.22 cm width) two weeks post-event via echocardiography.
  • Cardiac dimensions were normal, with no significant pathological signs observed despite the VSD.

Findings:

  • The athlete's maximal oxygen uptake (Vo2max) was 67.9 ml kg(-1) min(-1), considered relatively low for his performance level.

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  • Despite only one year of training, his running economy exceeded laboratory values for Caucasian runners of similar age.
  • The small VSD did not appear to cause pathological effects or hinder performance at this elite level.

    • Implications:

    • This case suggests that small VSDs may not always impede elite endurance performance in young athletes.
    • Further cardiological follow-up is recommended to monitor the long-term effects of the VSD on the athlete's health and career.
    • Findings contribute to the understanding of cardiac adaptations and limitations in high-performance endurance athletes from diverse backgrounds.