Table 2.
Vascular function, echocardiographic, and exercise testing results of the cohort athletes according to defined SBP/MET slope cut-off
| Male elite athletes | p value | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| SBP/MET slope ≤ 6.2 mmHg/MET | SBP/MET slope > 6.2 mmHg/MET | ||
| Central blood pressure and vascular function | |||
| Systolic central BP (mmHg) | 100.2 ± 7.7 | 102.9 ± 7.5 | 0.001 |
| Diastolic central BP (mmHg) | 62.5 ± 9.7 | 64.6 ± 10.5 | 0.058 |
| Mean aortic BP (mmHg) | 77.7 ± 8.8 | 79.5 ± 10.1 | 0.148 |
| Aortic pulse wave velocity (m/s) | 6.39 ± 1.47 | 6.34 ± 1.66 | 0.398 |
| Augmentation index @75 bpm (%) | − 20.3 ± 10.3 | − 21.4 ± 10.5 | 0.322 |
| Augmentation pressure (mmHg) | − 5.27 ± 3.8 | − 5.34 ± 4.1 | 0.869 |
| Ejection duration (ms) | 300.7 ± 31.4 | 301.5 ± 24.8 | 0.793 |
| Total peripheral resistance (dyn*s/cm5) | 1386 ± 382 | 1424 ± 424 | 0.553 |
| Pulse pressure amplification (mmHg) | 25.74 ± 5.89 | 25.8 ± 6.0 | 0.867 |
| Echocardiographic parameters | |||
| LV ejection fraction (%) | 66.2 ± 4.6 | 67.1 ± 4.5 | 0.030 |
| LV stroke volume (mL) | 93.2 ± 18.5 | 91.5 ± 15.8 | 0.337 |
| LV end-diastolic diameter (mm) | 53.9 ± 3.6 | 53.5 ± 3.8 | 0.193 |
| LV end-systolic diameter (mm) | 33.6 ± 3.4 | 32.9 ± 3.6 | 0.034 |
| Left atrial diameter (mm) | 35.4 ± 3.1 | 37.3 ± 3.3 | 0.013 |
| Left atrial volume index (ml/m2) | 24.6 ± 4.1 | 27.8 ± 3.7 | < 0.001 |
| Septal wall thickness (mm) | 10.19 ± 1 | 10.29 ± 1.2 | 0.360 |
| Inferior wall thickness (mm) | 9.8 ± 0.9 | 9.9 ± 1.2 | 0.134 |
| LV mass index (g/m2) | 87.8 ± 26 | 90.1 ± 24.8 | 0.329 |
| Relative wall thickness (%) | 33 ± 8 | 34 ± 6 | 0.452 |
| E/A ratio | 1.84 ± 0.42 | 1.83 ± 0.43 | 0.908 |
| E/E′ lateral | 5.27 ± 1.3 | 5.43 ± 1.32 | 0.223 |
| E/E′ medial | 6.82 ± 1.17 | 6.7 ± 1.41 | 0.301 |
| E/E′ average | 6.2 ± 1 | 6.25 ± 1.31 | 0.352 |
| RV diameter 1 (mm) | 38.5 ± 5.1 | 39.1 ± 6.2 | 0.094 |
| RVOT PLAX (mm) | 29.2 ± 1.9 | 30.5 ± 2.1 | 0.138 |
| RV stroke volume (mL) | 91.9 ± 14.7 | 90.6 ± 16.2 | 0.672 |
| Fractional area change (%) | 50.6 ± 6.1 | 51.2 ± 6.4 | 0.074 |
| RV s′ (cm/s) | 15.3 ± 2.3 | 15.8 ± 1.9 | 0.308 |
| TAPSE (mm) | 29 ± 4.3 | 29.8 ± 4.6 | 0.074 |
| SPAP (mmHg) | 20 ± 4.7 | 19.3 ± 4.4 | 0.078 |
| TASPSE/SPAP (mm/mmHg) | 1.26 ± 0.32 | 1.32 ± 0.34 | 0.051 |
| Exercise testing | |||
| Systolic blood pressure at rest (mmHg) | 126.3 ± 8.4 | 129 ± 7.6 | 0.002 |
| Diastolic blood pressure at rest (mmHg) | 76.8 ± 8.2 | 75.5 ± 8.1 | 0.089 |
| Heart rate at rest (bpm) | 61.3 ± 11.8 | 59 ± 9 | 0.085 |
| Absolute workload (W) | 384.3 ± 68.6 | 295.3 ± 58.5 | < 0.001 |
| Relative workload (W/kg) | 4.27 ± 1.1 | 3.14 ± 0.54 | < 0.001 |
| Peak energy expenditure (MET) | 16.6 ± 3.9 | 12.6 ± 2 | < 0.001 |
| Max. systolic BP (mmHg) | 188.8 ± 17.5 | 213.3 ± 14.6 | < 0.001 |
| Max. diastolic BP (mmHg) | 83.4 ± 9.4 | 85.2 ± 8.6 | 0.024 |
| Max. heart rate (bpm) | 178.6 ± 10 | 179.2 ± 11.5 | 0.540 |
| Max. heart rate (% of calculated max. heart rate) | 94.2 ± 5.1 | 94.2 ± 5.9 | 0.885 |
| Rating of perceived exertion (Borg scale) | 18.7 ± 0.5 | 18.5 ± 0.7 | 0.512 |
| SBP/MET slope (mmHg/MET) | 4.26 ± 1.16 | 7.72 ± 1.29 | < 0.001 |
Values are expressed as mean ± SD
Bold values denote statistical significance at the p < 0.05 level
BP blood pressure, bpm beats per minute, BMI body mass index, LV left ventricle, PLAX parasternal long-axis view, RV right ventricle, RVOT right ventricular outflow tract, SPAP systolic pulmonary artery pressure, TAPSE tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion