Purpose: To compare the patterns of valvar dynamics expressed by the mitral prolapse and regurgitation across the valves, between competitive athletes players of distinctive sport modalities, and between these and sedentary control subjects.
Methods: Pulsed and continuous wave non-colour Doppler echocardiographic evaluation of mitral valvular movements and flow patterns across the different valves was comparatively performed in 10 cyclists, 10 runners, 19 football players, and in 17 sedentary nonathletes controls, all males with ages ranging between 16 and 28 years old (p > 0.05). Valvar dynamics was evaluated from the apical two and four-chamber and parasternal short-axis and long-axis views. The proportions of valvar functional patterns in each group were compared using the chi-square test.
Results: Similar (p > 0.05) and high frequency of mitral prolapse were detected in the cyclists (30%), runners (50%), football players (32%), and controls (47%). Mitral, tricuspid and pulmonary regurgitations were very frequent and their proportions similar (p > 0.05) in the cyclists (40%, 80% and 40%, respectively), runners (50%, 70% and 60%), football players (37%, 58% and 58%), and controls (41%, 35% and 35%). No significant difference (p > 0.05) was observed between cyclists (20%), runners (20%), football players (16%), and controls (35%) for the frequency of mitral prolapse plus regurgitation. Aortic regurgitation was not observed in any athlete or control subject.
Conclusion: Neither the practice, nor the sport modalities studied appears to influence the prevalence of mitral prolapse and mitral, tricuspid and pulmonary valvar regurgitation. In all likelihood, these manifestations represent physiological variants of valvar dynamic which can be better detected by means of Doppler echocardiography.