Noninvasive assessment of systolic and diastolic left ventricular function in female runners

Nine female runners and 9 matched control subjects were investigatedwith echocardiography and Doppler velocimetry to assess cardiacstructure and systolic and diastolic left ventricular (LV) functionat rest. LV mass was considerably larger in the athletes (171vs 123 g; P <001). Minute distance, the Doppler index cardiacoutput, was similar in runners and controls; the lower heartrate (P<0.01) of the athletes was associated with a higherstroke distance (P<0.05). The latter could be attributedto a larger end-diastolic LV internal diameter (46 vs 43 mm;P<0.05); wall stress and the various indices of systolicLV function were not different between runners and controls.Early diastolic LV function, estimated from the velocity ofLV relaxation and the LV inflow pattern, and late diastolicfunction, assessed by Doppler velocimetry, were similar in runnersand controls. The unchanged ratio of the peak velocities ofLV filling during atrial contraction and early filling (0.49vs 0.44; NS) indicates that LV distensibility is unaltered inthe athletes.In conclusion, the higher left ventricular massof female runners is not associated with changes of systolicand diastolic LV function.