Cardiac dimensions and function in female handball players

Area of Science:

• Cardiovascular adaptation to sport
• Cardiac morphology in athletes
• Exercise physiology

Background:

• Intensive endurance training and certain sports lead to distinct cardiac morphological changes, known as athlete's heart.
• Sport-specific cardiac adaptations in female athletes remain under-investigated.
• Handball involves dynamic movements and intermittent high-intensity bursts, potentially influencing cardiac structure.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare cardiac dimensions, volumes, and function in elite female handball players versus sedentary controls.
• To investigate sport-specific cardiac remodeling in female athletes.
• To identify differences in left and right cardiac chambers and systolic/diastolic function.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional study comparing 33 elite female handball players to 33 matched sedentary controls.
• Echocardiography (2D and 3D) used to quantify cardiac dimensions and volumes.
• Analysis included M-mode, 2DE, 3DE, and evaluation of left ventricular systolic and diastolic function, with adjustments for body surface area.

Main Results:

• Elite female handball players showed significantly larger left and right atrium and ventricle volumes/areas (P<0.001) compared to controls.
• Significant differences were found in three out of five systolic function parameters.
• Diastolic function parameters showed no significant differences between the groups.

Conclusions:

• Elite female handball players demonstrate cardiac remodeling comparable to athletes in endurance or other team sports.
• The study indicates that handball participation induces significant cardiac structural adaptations.
• Findings contribute to understanding sport-specific cardiac remodeling in female athletes.