Objective: To investigate the reversibility of adverse cardiovascular effects after chronic abuse of anabolic androgenic steroids (AAS) in athletes. Methods: Doppler echocardiography and cycle ergometry including measurements of blood pressure at rest and during exercise were undertaken in 32 bodybuilders or powerlifters, including 15 athletes who had not been taking AAS for at least 12 months (ex-users) and 17 currently abusing AAS (users), as well as in 15 anabolic-free weightlifters. Results: Systolic blood pressure was higher in users (mean (SD) 140 (10) mm Hg) than in ex-users (130 (5) mm Hg) (p , 0.05) or weightlifters (125 (10) mm Hg; p , 0.001). Left ventricular muscle mass related to fat-free body mass and the ratio of mean left ventricular wall thickness to internal diameter were not significantly higher in users (3.32 (0.48) g/kg and 42.1 (4.4)%) than in ex-users (3.16 (0.53) g/kg and 40.3 (3.8)%), but were lower in weightlifters (2.43 (0.26) g/kg and 36.5 (4.0)%; p , 0.001). Left ventricular wall thickness related to fat-free body mass was also lower in weightlifters, but did not differ between users and ex-users. Left ventricular wall thickness was correlated with a point score estimating AAS abuse in users (r = 0.49, p , 0.05). In all groups, systolic left ventricular function was within the normal range. The maximum late transmitral Doppler flow velocity (Amax) was higher in users (61 (12) cm/s) and ex-users (60 (12) cm/s) than in weightlifters (50 (9) cm/s; p , 0.05 and p = 0.054). Conclusions: Several years after discontinuation of anabolic steroid abuse, strength athletes still show a slight concentric left ventricular hypertrophy in comparison with AAS-free strength athletes.

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Anabolic steroids cause a variety of side effects, among them a slight concentric left ventricular hypertrophy. The objective of the present study was to clarify if they also induce alterations in left ventricular function. 14 male body builders with substantial intake of anabolic steroids (users) were examined by standard echocardiography and cardiac tissue Doppler imaging. They were compared to 11 steroid-free strength athletes (non-users) and 15 sedentary control subjects. Users showed an increased left ventricular muscle mass index. The ratio of peak transmitral blood flow velocities during early diastolic filling and atrial contraction did not differ between groups (users: 1.4 +/- 0.3; non-users: 1.7 +/- 0.5; controls: 1.4 +/- 0.4). In contrast an analogous tissue Doppler parameter, the ratio of myocardial velocities during early and late ventricular filling in the basal septum, was significantly lower in users (1.2 +/- 0.4) when compared to non-users (1.6 +/- 0.5) or controls (1.6 +/- 0.6). The velocity gradient during myocardial E-wave in the posterior wall showed significantly lower values in users (3.8 +/- 1.3 1/s) as compared to controls (5.8 +/- 2.5 1/s). There were no differences in systolic function. Summarizing strength athletes abusing anabolic steroids show negative alterations in diastolic function.

EinleitungKrebserkrankungen entstehen multifaktoriell und stehen in der Todesursachenstatistik an zweiter Stelle. In den meisten Fällen kommt es zu einer Interaktion von Lebensstilfaktoren auf dem Boden einer genetischen Suszeptibilität, die die Erkrankung auslöst. Das Ernährungsverhalten, das Ausmaß an körperlicher Aktivität und das Körpergewicht spielen bei den häufigen Tumorentitäten Brust- und Darmkrebs in der Primärprävention und in der Rezidivprophylaxe eine wichtige Rolle.

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