The acute effects of an ultramarathon on biventricular function and ventricular arrhythmias in master athletes The endurance sports practice has increased significantly in recent decades, with a growing share of participants older than 40 years.Although the benefits of moderate regular movement are known, there are concerns about the potential negative effects caused by extreme endurance sports. The aim of this study was to analyze the acute effects of an ultramarathon race on the electrocardiogram, the bivescentricular function and ventricular arrhythmias in a population of master athletes. Master’s athletes were recruited, which participated in an ultramarathon (50 km, 600 m altitude difference) without heart disease in the prehistory.From the day before until the end of the race, an electrocardiogram was continuously recorded with a derivative. Before and at the end of the race, echocardiography and a rest electrocardiogram with 12 derivatives were performed.The sample consisted of 68 healthy, not professional athletes. Compared to the baseline, the R-wave amplitude in V1 and the QTC duration after the race was higher.Load-induced insulated premature ventricular strokes were observed at 7% of the athletes.Nobody showed a non-persistent ventricular tachycardia before or during the race.The left ventricular ejection fraction, global longitudinal string and twisting did not differ significantly before and after the race. After the race, no significant differences were found in the dimensions of the right ventricular inflow and drainage tract, the change of the partial surface, and the GLS of the free wall.
For endurance athletes, which run an ultramarathon, no ventricular dysfunctions or relevant ventricular arrhythmias caused by physical activity were found.These results did not confirm the hypothesis of a detrimental acute effect of exhausting training on the heart. The whole work can be found under https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33544827/