Abstract des Autors

The study was performed on ten endurance-trained athletes and ten strength-trained athletes in order to examine whether different effects of training on left ventricular mass showed any relation on the plasma renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system and atrial natriuretic peptide. Ten age-matched subjects were used as controls. Compared with control subjects, all athletes had increased left ventricular mass, even when values were normalized for body surface area. Particularly, endurance-trained athletes had an increased left ventricular end-diastolic dimension index, while the resistive one had normal cavity size. These results are in agreement with the training program followed. In the three groups the differences in plasma renin activity, aldosterone and atrial natriuretic peptide were not statistically significant. It is concluded that cardiovascular adaptation to physical endurance and strength training, leading to an increase in left ventricular mass, does not modify the basal concentration of atrial natriuretic peptide, indirectly, confirming that in athletes left ventricular mass increase is a physiologic adaptation. Verf.-Referat