University athletes and changes in cardiac geometry: insight from the 2015 Gwangju Summer Universiade

There is a paucity of data regarding the changes of cardiac geometry in highly trained international and multiracial university athletes. We aimed to investigate the incidence of structural cardiac abnormalities and changes of cardiac geometry in highly trained university athletes.

Comprehensive echocardiographic studies were performed in 1185 university athletes through the Check-up Your Heart Program during the 2015 Gwangju Summer Universiade. Participants were divided into two groups: normal vs. abnormal left ventricular (LV) geometry (concentric remodelling, concentric hypertrophy, or eccentric hypertrophy). Structural heart diseases associated with sudden cardiac death were not identified, but minor structural cardiac abnormalities were common in university athletes. One hundred and fifty-six athletes (13.2%) had abnormal LV geometry; concentric remodelling (n = 73, 6.2%), concentric hypertrophy (n = 25, 2.1%), and eccentric hypertrophy (n = 58, 4.9%). Abnormal LV geometry was significantly more common in athletes of African descent and in endurance, mixed, or power disciplines. In multivariate logistic regression analysis, athletes of African descent [odds ratio (OR) 2.16, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.34–3.46; P = 0.001], endurance disciplines (OR 1.79, 95% CI 1.26–2.54; P = 0.001), and training time (OR 1.01, 95% CI 1.00–1.02; P = 0.045) were independent predictors of abnormal LV geometry.

A large scale cardiovascular screening programme of the 2015 Summer Universiade demonstrated that abnormal LV geometry is not uncommon (13.2%) and concentric remodelling is the most common pattern of LV geometric change in young trained university athletes. Race, type of sport, and training time are significant predictors of abnormal LV geometry. Structural cardiac abnormalities are common in university athletes even though they are minor abnormalities.