Assessment of right atrial strain parameters in half marathon amateur runners

Abstract

Abstract Funding Acknowledgements Type of funding sources: None. Introduction Endurance training may cause atrial remodeling and atrial arrhythmias in professional athletes. However, there is a lack of data on the right atrial (RA) adaptation to training and half marathon run in amateur runners. Recently introduced atrial deformation strain analysis allows to assess the RA function more precisely. Purpose The study aims to assess the influence of ten-weeks training and half marathon run on the RA strain parameters in non-elite athletes. It also investigates whether these changes affect the runner’s competitive performance. We hypothesized that the training and 21.0975 kilometers run itself cause functional atrial changes in recreational runners. Methods The study group consisted of 45 recreational runners with a mean age of 32.96 ± 5.12 years, 27 men. Two-dimensional, Doppler and speckle tracking echocardiography was performed before the ten-weeks training period (stage 1), 48 hours before (stage 2) and within 48 hours after (stage 3) the half marathon run. We measured RA volumes, ejection fraction and strain during reservoir, conduit and contraction phases at all stages (Figure). Training intensity was expressed in declared kilometers run per week. Results There were no significant changes in RA volumes and RA ejection fraction between stages. We did not notice significant differences in RA strains during reservoir, conduit and contraction phases between stages. Athletes who trained more intensively had significantly higher maximum RA volume at stage 1 (r = 0.32; p = 0.033) and at stage 3 (r = 0.44; p = 0.003). They had also larger RA area at stage 1 (r = 0.32; p = 0.030). Runners whose RA area was larger, achieved significantly better finishing race time (r = -0.49; p = 0.001). Higher RA volume correlated with better half marathon performance (r = -0.32; p = 0.039). Conclusions Ten-weeks training period and participation in half marathon run were not associated with RA dilatation or functional changes based on strain deformation analysis in amateur runners. However, we observed the influence of intensity of physical training on the enlargement of volume and surface area of the right atrium, which resulted in better half marathon finishing time.