Echocardiographic Doppler evaluation of left ventricular diastolic filling in older, highly trained male endurance athletes

Previously published data have suggested that endurance training does not retard the normative aging impairment of early left ventricular diastolic filling (LVDF). Those studies, suggesting no effect of exercise training, have not examined highly trained endurance athletes or their LVDF responses after exercise. We therefore compared LVDF characteristics in a group of older highly trained endurance athletes (n = 12, mean age 69 years, range 65-75) and a group of sedentary control subjects (n = 12, mean age 69 years, range 65-73) with no cardiovascular disease. For all subjects, M-mode and Doppler echocardiographic data were obtained at rest. After baseline studies, subjects underwent graded, maximal cardiopulmonary treadmill exercise testing using a modified Balke protocol. Breath-by-breath respiratory gas analysis and peak exercise oxygen consumption (VO(2)max) measurements were obtained. Immediately after exercise and at 3-6 minutes into recovery, repeat Doppler echocardiographic data were obtained for determination of LVDF parameters. VO(2)max (44 +/- 6.3 vs 27 +/- 4.2 ml/kg/min, P < 0.001), oxygen consumption at anaerobic threshold (35 +/- 5.4 us 24 +/- 3.8 ml/kg/min, P < 0.001), exercise duration (24 +/- 3 vs 12 +/- 6 minutes, P < 0.001), and left ventricular mass index (61 +/- 13 us 51 +/- 7.8 kg/m(2), P < 0.05) were greater in endurance athletes than in sedentary control subjects, whereas body mass index was lower (22 +/- 1.7 vs 26 +/- 3.4 kg/m(2), P < 0.001). No differences in any of the LVDF characteristics were observed between the groups with the exception of a trend toward a lower atrial filling fraction at rest in the endurance athlete group versus the control subjects (P = 0.07). High-intensity endurance exercise training promotes exceptional peak exercise oxygen consumption and cardiovascular stamina but does not appear to alter normative aging effects on left ventricular diastolic function.