Electrocardiographic patterns and long-term training-induced time changes in 2484 elite football players

High-level physical training induces cardiac structural and functional changes, including 12-lead electrocardiogram modifications.

The purpose of this cross-sectional longitudinal study was to establish a quantitative electrocardiographic profile in highly trained football players. Initial and serial annual electrocardiogram monitoring over subsequent years allowed us to investigate the long-term effects of exercise on cardiac conduction and electrophysiological remodelling.

Between 2005 and 2015, serial evaluations, including 12-lead electrocardiograms, were performed in 2484 elite male football players from the French Professional Football League. A total of 6247 electrocardiograms were performed (mean 2.5±1.8 electrocardiograms/player). Heart rate (beats/min), atrioventricular delay (PR, ms), intraventricular conduction delay (QRS, ms), corrected QT delay (QTc) and electrical left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) (Sokolow-Lyon index, mm) were measured, and the fixed effect of time was evaluated using panel data analysis (β [95% confidence interval] change between two visits).

According to European Society of Cardiology and Seattle criteria, 15% of the electrocardiogram intervals were considered abnormal. We observed 17% sinus bradycardia<50 beats/min (mean heart rate 60±11 beats/min), 8% first-degree atrioventricular block>200ms (mean PR 170±27ms), 1.5% QRS>120ms (mean QRS 87±19ms) and 3% prolonged QT interval (mean QTc using Bazett's formula [QTcB] 395±42ms). Electrical LVH (mean Sokolow-Lyon index 34±10mm) was noted in 37% of players. Over time, electrocardiogram changes were noted, with a significant remodelling trend in terms of decreased heart rate (-0.41 [-0.55 to -0.26] beats/min), QRS duration (-2.4 [-2.7 to -2.1] ms) and QTcB delay (-1.2 [-1.9 to -0.5] ms) (all P<0.001).

This study describes usual electrocardiographic training-induced changes in a large series of football players over the follow-up timeframe. The most frequent outliers were electrical LVH and sinus bradycardia. These results have important implications for optimizing electrocardiogram interval measurements in initial screening and during follow-up of football players, with potential cost-effective implications.