Key Points
- This analysis aims to determine the prevalence of aortic dilation in masters endurance athletes and assess its relationship with cardiac physiology and training load.
- Evaluated masters endurance athletes aged ≥50 years without heritable aortopathy using transthoracic echocardiography.
- Assessed historical and current training load via a standardized questionnaire and quantified cardiac remodelling through cardiac magnetic resonance.
- Calculated circumferential aortic wall stress at rest and peak exercise per La Place law, with comparison groups analyzed using ANCOVA.
- 24% of the 143 evaluated athletes met aortic dilation criteria (24% males, 25% females, P=0.99).
- Athletes with aortic dilation were older (68±6 years vs 62±7 years, P<0.001) and exhibited more profound left-ventricular remodelling.
- Peak aortic wall stress was 15% higher in athletes with dilation, but values were well below critical failure limits (800-1200kPa).
Structured PICO
PPopulation143 master's endurance athletes (aged ≥50 years) without heritable aortopathy, mean age 63±8 years, 17% female.
OOutcomePrevalence of aortic dilation (AoD) and its relationship with physiologic markers of cardiac remodelling and training loadsurrogate
Aortic dilation is present in nearly a quarter of master's endurance athletes and is associated with more profound left-ventricular remodelling and higher VO2peak, suggesting it may be a compensatory vascular adaptation to lifelong exercise.