article 2023 9 pages

Prevalence and pattern of focal and potential diffuse myocardial fibrosis in male and female marathon runners using contrast-enhanced cardiac magnetic resonance

Haissam Ragab, Gunnar K. Lund, Lynn Breitsprecher, Martin R. Sinn, Kai Muellerleile, Ersin Cavus, Christian Stehning, Enver Tahir, Stefan Blankenberg, Monica Patten, Axel Pressler, Gerhard Adam, Maxim Avanesov

Journal: European Radiology
DOI: 10.1007/s00330-023-09416-3
Study type: observational study
Population: marathon runners

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Abstract

Objectives

This study analyzed the prevalence and pattern of focal and potential diffuse myocardial fibrosis detected by late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) and extracellular volume (ECV) imaging in male and female marathon runners using cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR).

Methods

Seventy-four marathon runners were studied including 55 males (44 ± 8 years) and 19 females (36 ± 7 years) and compared to 36 controls with similar age and sex using contrast-enhanced CMR, exercise testing, and blood samples.

Results

Contrast-enhanced CMR revealed focal myocardial fibrosis in 8 of 74 runners (11%). The majority of runners were male (7 of 8, 88%). LGE was typically non-ischemic in 7 of 8 runners (88%) and ischemic in one runner. ECV was higher in remote myocardium without LGE in male runners (25.5 ± 2.3%) compared to male controls (24.0 ± 3.0%, p

Description

The study investigates myocardial fibrosis in marathon runners using cardiac imaging techniques.