Left Ventricular Dimensions and Diastolic Function Are Different in Throwers, Endurance Athletes, and Sprinters From the World Masters Athletics Championships

There is controversy whether a lifetime of heavy resistance training, providing pressure-overload, harmful for left ventricular function. We compared dimensions and function in elite Masters athletes involved throwing events (requiring strength; n = 21, seven females, 60 ± 14 years) to those endurance ( 65, 25 59 10 sprinting 68, 21 57 13 at the 2018 World Athletic Championships. Left were assessed with B-mode ultrasound Doppler. The ratio early diastolic peak filling velocity during atrial contraction (E/A) across mitral valve E E-wave (E’) lateral septal annulus (E/E’) used as indexes Intra-ventricular wall thickness was greater throwers sprinters (11.9 2.2 vs. 10.3 2.3 mm; p 0.01). end diameter/body surface area higher (25.2 3.0, 24.3 3.1, 22.0 3.1 mm/m 2 , respectively, < E/A (1.35 0.40, 1.37 0.43, 1.05 0.41, respectively; E/E’ lower (6.9 1.8, 6.6 1.9, 8.1 0.05). Compared age-matched historical controls > 1,000; 1.06; 7.5), not different throwers, but superior have altered other athletes, training does appear alter controls.