Circulation. Cardiovascular imaging
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Circ Cardiovasc Imaging · Dec 2020
Comparative StudyFemale Athlete's Heart: Sex Effects on Electrical and Structural Remodeling.
Most of our knowledge on training-induced cardiac remodeling is derived from men, with the paucity of data from women representing an important gap in knowledge. The aim of the study was to define the electrocardiographic and morphological features of female athlete's heart, with special attention to differences related to sex and sport. ⋯ Sex significantly affects cardiac remodeling in athletes, with females presenting a different electrical and structural remodeling. Women maintain a normal LV geometry, with relative larger increase of cavity dimensions compared with men. Type of sport has a relevant impact, with endurance athletes exhibiting the greatest degree of RV and LV dimensional remodeling. The present study confirms the need for a sex-based approach for interpreting the complex features of athlete's heart in women.