Female Athlete's Heart: Sex Effects on Electrical and Structural Remodeling

Most of our knowledge on training-induced cardiac remodeling is derived from men, with the paucity of data from women representing an important gap in knowledge. The aim of the study was to define the electrocardiographic and morphological features of female athlete's heart, with special attention to differences related to sex and sport.

Seven hundred twenty Olympic athletes (360 females and 360 age- and sport-matched males, mean age: 23±5 years) were evaluated by clinical, resting, and exercise electrocardiography and echocardiography.

Anterior T-wave inversion was more common in females than males (P<0.05). Left ventricular (LV) wall thickness and LV mass were greater in men (P<0.001). Females had smaller absolute but greater indexed LV and right ventricular (RV) dimensions as compared to males. Most women had normal LV geometry (80.8%). A progressive increase in LV/RV dimensions was observed in women from those engaged in skill, power, to mixed and endurance disciplines, with the endurance ones demonstrating the greatest degree of RV dilatation. Women had a peculiar biventricular adaptation, with higher LV/RV (1.41±0.16 versus 1.36±0.15, P<0.0001) and lower RV inflow/outflow ratio (P<0.001), as compared to men.

Sex significantly affects cardiac remodeling in athletes, with females presenting a different electrical and structural remodeling. Women maintain a normal LV geometry, with relative larger increase of cavity dimensions compared with men. Type of sport has a relevant impact, with endurance athletes exhibiting the greatest degree of RV and LV dimensional remodeling. The present study confirms the need for a sex-based approach for interpreting the complex features of athlete's heart in women.