Differences in Heart Rate, Left Ventricular Wall Mass and Thickness, Diastolic Function, and Cardiac Output Index between Adolescent Athlete and Non-athlete Adolescents

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Changes in cardiac function and structure in adolescent athletes increase the population’s risk for sudden death. No studies in Bali, Indonesia, have examined changes in cardiac function and structure in adolescent athletes compared to non-athlete. AIM: The objective of the study was to evaluate the cardiac function and anatomical structure of adolescent athletes. METHODS: This study was a cross-sectional study of male adolescents aged 15–18 years at the high school of Denpasar, Badung, Gianyar, and Tabanan from September 2019 to November 2020, using consecutive sampling. Mann–Whitney U-test was used to assess differences in heart rate, mass and left ventricular (LV) wall thickness, and diastolic function, while independent t-test was used to assess mean differences in the cardiac output index. RESULTS: A total of 88 subjects participated in this study. Heart rate in adolescent athletes was found to be slower than in non-athlete, with a median of 63.5 (range 46–107) beats per minute (p < 0.001). The mass and thickness of the LV (interventricular septum) in adolescent athletes were greater than non-athlete with a median value of 149.61 (range 101.02–280.80) g and 9 (range 6–12) mm with p < 0.001 and 0.005, respectively. There was no significant difference in diastolic function and cardiac output index among adolescent athletes compared to non-athlete. CONCLUSION: Significant structural changes of the heart were observed in adolescent athletes (mass and thickness of the interventricular septum wall) but not in the function of the heart (diastolic function and cardiac output index). Adolescent athletes have a significantly slower heart rate than non-athlete.