Comparison of echocardiographic parameters of amputee football players with active football players and sedentary individuals

Abstract

Background The purpose of this study is to compare the echocardiographic (ECHO) parameters of amputee football players (AF) with those of athletes without a disability (football players) (FP), and sedentary individuals (SI). Methods A total of 37 male participants (nAF = 12, nFP = 12, nSI = 13) were included in the study. All participants underwent a transthoracic echocardiographic examination. Aortic diameter in systole (ADs), aortic diameter in diastole (ADd), isovolumic contraction time (IVCT), isovolumic relaxation time (IVRT), left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), early (E) and late (A) wave velocities, myocardial systolic (S), early diastolic (E’), and late diastolic (A’) myocardial rates, interventricular septal thickness (IVS), left ventricular end-diastolic diameter (LVDd) and left ventricular end-systole diameter (LVDs), left ventricular posterior wall thickness (LVPWd), left atrial diameter (LAD), and ascending aortic diameter (AAD) were measured. Results LVDd, E’ were lower in AF than in FP. In contrast, LVDs, LVPWd, and A wave were higher in AF than in FP. When AF and SI groups were compared, ADs, LVPWd, A wave, IVRT, and S wave were higher in AF than in SI. ANOVA test showed a statistically significant difference between groups in LVPWd, A-wave, and E’ wave. TTE data indicate that some parameters in AF differ from those observed in healthy individuals. The smaller LVEED diameter and higher PWT were found in AF. Conclusions Although within normal limits, some ECHO parameters in the AF group differed from those without disability. Future studies should further investigate these differences using different and detailed measurement methods.

Evaluation of electrocardiographic parameters in amputee football players

“…This indicates there is no enlargement in atrial chambers of the heart in AF group. This was indeed was further confirmed in our previous echocardiography study in AF population ( Kurtoğlu et al, 2023 ). However, P-wave amplitude was higher in amputee football players than in other two disabled groups though it was not a pathological elevation.…”

“…In our study, the AF group was compared with healthy individuals. In a recent study, AF individuals and healthy football players and sedentary individuals were compared with echocardiography, and left ventricular end diastolic diameter and early diastole values of AFs were found to be lower than healthy football players and sedentary individuals, and left ventricular posterior wall thickness was found to be higher in AF group ( Kurtoğlu et al, 2023 ). These results confirm that individuals with amputation have a different cardiac structure than healthy individuals.…”

“…Compared to sedentary individuals with an athlete’s heart, athletes generally have some morphological improvements in left ventricular systolic and diastolic parameters and in the left atrium ( Lee et al, 2022 ). Amputee athlete’s heart responds differently to exercise compared to healthy athletes ( Kurtoğlu et al, 2023 ). For this reason, it is thought that analyzing the cardiac functions of amputees with different methods may play an important role in the selection of exercises to be applied to these individuals.…”

The Response of the Amputee Athlete Heart to Chronic Core Exercise: A Study on Hematological and Biochemical Parameters, and N-Terminal Pro Brain Natriuretic Peptide

“…According to the literature, it can be concluded that the excessive training load applied to amputees causes fatigue in the heart and skeletal muscles. In our previous studies, it was concluded that the heart morphology of amputees is different from that of healthy individuals [22]. In this research, the sample consisted of amputee soccer players.…”

“…The most important cause of postamputation mortality (39% survival rate at 7 years) in amputees is cardiac problems [21]; therefore, it is necessary to examine the physiological and morphological development of different types of exercise on the heart in these individuals. In our latest research, we have shown that the echocardiographic findings of amputee soccer players differ from those of nonamputee athletes and sedentary individuals [22]. This finding suggested that exercise has different morphological effects on the hearts of amputees.…”