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Circulating Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 (sVCAM-1) Is Associated With Left Atrial Remodeling in Long-Distance
Felipe Contreras-Briceño1,2, Sebastián Herrera1, Julian Vega-Adauy1
1Division of Cardiovascular Diseases, Advanced Center for Chronic Diseases (ACCDiS), Faculty of Medicine, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine
|November 18, 2021
Summary
High-training male long-distance runners exhibit elevated soluble vascular adhesion molecule-1 (sVCAM-1) levels, which correlate with left atrial remodeling. Training volume impacts baseline sVCAM-1 and post-marathon changes.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Sports Medicine
- Biomarkers
Background:
- High-performance athletes have an increased risk of atrial fibrillation (AF).
- Soluble vascular adhesion molecule-1 (sVCAM-1) is a biomarker linked to inflammation, cardiac remodeling, and AF in the general population.
- The association between sVCAM-1 and left atrial (LA) remodeling in long-distance runners (LDR) is not well-understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between left atrial remodeling and sVCAM-1 levels in male LDR.
- To assess how training volume influences sVCAM-1 levels and LA remodeling in LDR.
- To examine changes in sVCAM-1 levels following marathon running in LDR.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study involving 36 healthy male LDR, categorized into high-training (HT) and low-training (LT) groups, plus 18 non-active controls (CTR).
- Transthoracic echocardiography was performed on all participants.
- sVCAM-1 blood levels were measured at baseline and immediately post-marathon for LDR.
Main Results:
- HT runners showed significantly higher baseline sVCAM-1 levels compared to CTR and LT groups.
- sVCAM-1 levels increased significantly after a marathon in HT runners but not in LT runners.
- A moderate positive correlation was found between LA volume and sVCAM-1 levels in LDR.
Conclusions:
- In male LDR, sVCAM-1 levels are directly associated with left atrial remodeling.
- Training volume influences baseline sVCAM-1 levels and the acute response to prolonged exercise.
- Further research is needed to determine if sVCAM-1 levels can predict AF risk in runners.
