AUTHOR=Zhao Kewei , Liu Yu , Dong Lili , Gao Binghong 

TITLE=Echocardiographic myocardial work in pre-adolescent male basketball players: a comparison with cardiopulmonary exercise test-derived aerobic capacity

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Physiology

VOLUME=13

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/physiology/articles/10.3389/fphys.2022.913623

DOI=10.3389/fphys.2022.913623

ISSN=1664-042X

ABSTRACT=<p><bold>Background:</bold> Pressure-strain loop (PSL) analysis provides a novel, less load-dependent non-invasive method to quantify myocardial work and demonstrates a significant correlation with the contractile reserve in adult athletes. We aim to validate PSL-derived markers in characterizing LV function in pre-adolescent basketball players by comparing results before and after the cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPX) and explore its association with CPX-derived aerobic capacity.</p><p><bold>Methods:</bold> Cardiac morphology and function in 20 pre-adolescent basketball players were assessed at 9.7 years old (9.7 ± 1.1 year) before and after cardiopulmonary exercise testing. Echocardiography was performed in all subjects, including two-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography (STE). Simultaneous brachial-cuff-measured blood pressure was recorded to perform PSL analysis.</p><p><bold>Results:</bold> Nineteen subjects were included in the final analysis. Exercise training in pre-adolescent males was associated with lower global work index (GWI) and global work efficiency (GWE) at rest. GWE at stress was significantly correlated with VO<sub>2</sub>max and peak O<sub>2</sub> pulse (<italic>p</italic> = 0.0122, <italic>r</italic> = 0.56; <italic>p</italic> = 0.00122, <italic>r</italic> = 0.69, respectively). When indexed by body mass, GWI and GWE both significantly correlated with relative VO<sub>2</sub>max (<italic>p</italic> = 0.0086 and 0.0011 respectively, <italic>r</italic> = 0.58 and 0.69 respectively); GWI and GWE at baseline and stress were all significantly correlated with peak O<sub>2</sub> pulse (GWI at baseline, <italic>p</italic><bold>&lt;</bold> 0.0001, <italic>r</italic> = −0.90; GWE at baseline, <italic>p</italic><bold>&lt;</bold> 0.0001, <italic>r</italic> = −0.89; GWI at stress, <italic>p</italic><bold>=</bold> 0.0289, <italic>r</italic> = −0.50; GWE at stress, <italic>p</italic><bold>&lt;</bold> 0.0001, <italic>r</italic> = −0.83).</p><p><bold>Conclusion:</bold> PSL-analysis-derived GWI and GWE at rest indexed by body mass are associated with cardiopulmonary exercise test-derived peak oxygen consumption and oxygen pulse in pre-adolescent athletes.</p>