China Elite Athletes Cardiovascular hEath (China-ACE) Study: A Protocol for a Multicenter Prospective Cohort

Exercise mediates cardiac adaptation in a dose-dependent manner, and each sport has unique demands on the cardiovascular system. Given the long-term effects of key confounding variables such as age, sex, and exercise dose, knowledge gained from one sport cannot be generalized to all sports. Therefore, it is necessary to explore the potential dose-response relationships between different sports and cardiovascular adaptations on a broader time scale, and to explore the regulatory role of key factors such as age and sex.

The China-ACE study will be a prospective longitudinal cohort study involving approximately 500 elite athletes of different sexes, ages, and sports (rowing, canoeing, cycling, triathlon, weightlifting, wrestling, judo, swimming, basketball, badminton, boxing, and beach volleyball) from three provincial sports centers. All athletes will undergo two screenings within 1 year, during which their exercise load and dose will be recorded via quantitative and semi-quantitative methods. The screening will include measuring cardiovascular function, body composition, electrocardiogram, heart rate variability, echocardiography, cardiopulmonary function, circulating biochemical markers, sex hormones, lower limb muscle function, and physical performance.

The China-ACE study will elucidate the potential dose-response relationship between exercise load and cardiovascular adaptation, cardiopulmonary function, skeletal muscle function, and physical performance by continuously tracking the exercise load and exercise dose of athletes in different sports and exploring the potential role of age and sex in these adaptations. This may inform individualized training and cardiovascular prevention for athletes and extend the current understanding of sports cardiology.