Right Ventricular Function Improves After Bench Press: A Speckle Tracking Echocardiography Study

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Sports Medicine
• Nutritional Science

Background:

• The impact of weightlifting on right ventricular myocardial mechanics is not fully understood.
• Nutritional factors may influence cardiac function in athletes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between nutritional status and right ventricular myocardial deformation in weightlifters.
• To analyze changes in right ventricle speckle tracking echocardiography parameters before and after bench press exercises.

Main Methods:

• Interventional study involving 211 male weightlifters and 60 non-athlete controls.
• Echocardiography with speckle tracking was performed pre- and post-exercise.
• Nutritional parameters (protein, vitamins E, B, zinc) were assessed.

Main Results:

• Weightlifters showed significantly altered right ventricular longitudinal strain, strain rate, and isovolumic acceleration post-exercise (p < 0.001).
• Right intraventricular synchrony increased, and longitudinal strain delay decreased after exercise (p < 0.001).
• Right ventricular longitudinal strain correlated with protein, vitamin E, and zinc levels; radial velocities correlated with B vitamins.

Conclusions:

• Weightlifters demonstrate distinct right ventricular responses to exercise compared to controls.
• Speckle tracking echocardiography reveals exercise-induced changes in right ventricular function.
• Right ventricular myocardial deformation in weightlifters may be associated with specific nutritional factors.