Systolic time intervals at rest and during exercise in sportsmen

The authors using non-invasive methods, have studied left ventricular performance at rest and during training of sportsmen, taking into consideration the period of activity (during resting, training and competition periods). The studied subjects belonged to three groups (football, basketball and athletics). They all had more than 5 years of performance training. The obtained values are compared with data obtained from a control group of untrained subjects in the same age group. Determination of systolic time intervals has been done using mechanophonocardiographic tracing, registered at rest and during various exercise intensities, measuring PEP, LVET and Weissler ratio. Obtained data have been correlated with oxygen consumption, heart rate and blood pressure. Systolic time intervals measured at rest have been compared with the values obtained by Weissler from untrained subjects. Regression equations are given for values obtained in exercise tests in the case of sportsmen as well as for sedentary persons. In conclusion the authors stress the importance of systolic time intervals determinations for indirect estimation of left ventricular performance at rest and during exercise tests. From the presented data results the importance of PEP and Weissler ratio, which parametres the authors recommend to be systematically determined in the case of performance sportsmen. The most significant modifications are recorded when values are compared for the same subject during all the three periods of activity.