Cardiac Findings in Swimming-Induced Pulmonary Edema: Implications for Acute Assessment

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Sports Medicine
• Pulmonary Medicine

Background:

• Swimming-induced pulmonary edema (SIPE) is associated with pathological cardiac findings in case reports.
• Understanding these cardiac effects is crucial for managing SIPE.

Purpose of the Study:

• To characterize cardiac findings in patients diagnosed with SIPE.
• To establish a reference for expected cardiac results in SIPE cases.

Main Methods:

• A cohort study compared SIPE patients (n=45) with asymptomatic swimmers (controls, n=45).
• Transthoracic echocardiogram (TTE), ECG, and cardiac biomarkers were assessed post-swim and at follow-up.
• Assessments included systolic ventricular function, pulmonary artery pressure, cardiac troponin I, and NT-proBNP.

Main Results:

• Mildly impaired systolic ventricular function on TTE was observed in 43% of SIPE patients versus 10% of controls (p=0.003).
• Elevated systolic pulmonary artery pressure occurred in 30% of SIPE patients (p=0.005).
• Elevated cardiac troponin I and NT-proBNP were significantly higher in SIPE patients compared to controls.

Conclusions:

• Patients with SIPE commonly exhibit transient, mildly affected cardiac function on TTE and moderate elevations in cardiac biomarkers.
• ECG findings did not significantly differ between SIPE patients and controls.
• This study provides a valuable reference for cardiac findings associated with SIPE.