Response to Letters Regarding Article, “Cardiac Arrhythmogenic Remodeling in a Rat Model of Long-Term Intensive Exercise Training”

Abstract

We would like to thank Maass and Maier and Ruiz et al for their interesting comments on our study.1 Maass et al stress the potential benefit of exercise in improving the evolution of certain cardiac diseases, and also the need to analyze the benefits of exercise in animal models. In particular, they comment on the beneficial effects of voluntary exercise through diverse pathological conditions. We fully agree with their cautionary comments, and certainly our results cannot be directly extrapolated to models of voluntary exercise training. Our model attempted to replicate extreme endurance training conditions, often present in endurance sports training. The authors also pointed out the potential damage caused by stress due to the use of electric discharges to stimulate running. Although we recognize this potential limitation (as …