A comparative study on the analysis of hemodynamics in the athlete's heart

Utku Gülan1, Valentina A Rossi2, Alexander Gotschy2

  • 1Hi-D Imaging, 8406, Winterthur, Switzerland.

Scientific Reports
|October 5, 2022
PubMed

Insights

Endurance athletes exhibit lower kinetic energy and shear stress in the right-ventricular outflow tract (RVOT). This finding in the athlete's heart may stem from increased right-ventricular (RV) diastolic compliance.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Sports Medicine
  • Biomedical Engineering

Background:

  • The development of the athlete's heart involves complex pathophysiological mechanisms that are not fully understood.
  • Understanding intracavitary blood flow dynamics is crucial for differentiating physiological adaptations from pathological conditions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To characterize and compare intracavitary blood flow patterns, kinetic energy, and shear stresses in the right ventricle (RV) and right-ventricular outflow tract (RVOT).
  • To investigate differences between healthy individuals, arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC) patients, and endurance athletes.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized 4D-MRI flow measurements to assess velocity magnitude, mean kinetic energy (MKE), turbulent kinetic energy (TKE), and viscous shear stress (VSS).
  • Measurements were taken throughout the entire RV and specifically within the RVOT.
  • Analyzed data from healthy probands, ARVC patients, and endurance athletes.

Main Results:

  • RVOT regions consistently showed higher kinetic energy and shear stress levels compared to global RV averages across all subject groups.
  • Endurance athletes demonstrated relatively lower kinetic energy and shear stress in the RVOT compared to both healthy probands and ARVC patients.

Conclusions:

  • The athlete's heart is characterized by reduced kinetic energy and shear stress within the RVOT.
  • This phenomenon may be attributed to enhanced diastolic compliance of the right ventricle in endurance athletes.

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