MORPHOFUNCTIONAL BASIS OF HIGH FUNCTIONAL CAPABILITIES OF ATHLETES IN THE LIGHT OF A SIMPLIFIED FOREIGN CLASSIFICATION OF SPORTS. PART 1

Abstract

Aim. The paper aims to identify morphological changes of the heart and physiological capabilities of athletes in different sports and to evaluate the acceptability of the A. Pelliccia classification for professional athletes. Materials and methods. The sample involved 2647 national-level athletes from 40 sports disciplines. Sports disciplines were divided into those that required coordination skills, strength, mixed qualities, and endurance. A 12-lead ECG and echocardiography with normalization of the body surface area (BSA) were performed. Functional capabilities were evaluated with cardiopulmonary testing. Results. The main trend was increased frequency and magnitude of eccentric LV hypertrophy, as well as increased VO₂ peak, VO₂ anaerobic threshold, and performance capacity values from the first to the fourth group. The greatest correlation with functional parameters was associated not with the linear characteristics of the left ventricle but with the volume ones indexed by the BSA. The proportion of people with signs of left ventricular remodeling varied between groups, ranging from 14.4 to 45%. Similar results were found in the literature for athletes competing at international Universiades and Olympic Games. Conclusion. The A. Pelliccia classification reflects general patterns of heart remodeling in athletes. However, their quantitative expression is subject to significant fluctuations, and therefore, its application to athletes below the international level should be limited. It is advisable to evaluate the dimensions of the heart according to the centile values obtained for each of the classification groups.