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Do echocardiographic changes explain the age-associated increase in exercise-induced supraventricular arrhythmias?
F C O'Connor1, R Mayuga, C T Arrington
1Laboratory of Cardiovascular Science, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, Maryland 21224, USA.
Aging (Milan, Italy)
|February 1, 1997
Summary
Advancing age is the sole independent predictor of exercise-induced supraventricular arrhythmias (EISVA) in healthy adults. While cardiac structure and exercise capacity changes are associated with EISVA, age remains the primary factor.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Gerontology
- Exercise Physiology
Background:
- Exercise-induced supraventricular arrhythmias (EISVA) prevalence increases with age.
- The role of age-associated cardiac structural and functional changes in EISVA is not fully understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between echocardiographic variables, exercise capacity, and EISVA in healthy adults across a wide age range.
- To determine if age-associated cardiac changes independently predict EISVA.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional study of 366 healthy volunteers (aged 20-90 years) from the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging.
- Maximal treadmill exercise testing with M-mode echocardiography to assess cardiac structure and function.
- Statistical analysis including univariate and multiple logistic regression to identify predictors of EISVA.
Main Results:
- EISVA were detected in 27% of subjects (19% simple, 8% complex).
- Univariate analysis revealed associations between EISVA and older age, male gender, increased left atrial size, left ventricular mass, septal thickness, prolonged isovolumic relaxation time, altered atrial filling, reduced mitral E-F slope, peak E velocity, peak E/A ratio, decreased exercise duration, lower maximal heart rate, and elevated blood pressure.
- Multiple logistic regression identified age as the only independent predictor of both any and complex EISVA.
Conclusions:
- In healthy individuals undergoing maximal exercise, EISVA are linked to cardiac structural and functional changes, reduced exercise capacity, and elevated blood pressure.
- However, age is the sole independent predictor of EISVA, suggesting its dominant role over other potential contributing factors.