Presentation Abstract

Title: P1-183 - Carotid Intima-Media Thickness in Master Athletes
Authors: Niccolò Gori, Jr., Tempesti Giulio, Alice Bartolini, Anania Giuseppe, Laura Stefani, Loira Toncelli, Maria Concetta Robertina Vono, Giorgio Galanti. Sports Medicine Centre, Florence, Italy
Abstract Body: Background: While the effects on heart of regular physical activity( PA) and sport in adult athletes is well known, on the contrary the impact on peripheral vessels are not yet completely clarified. This study aims to evaluate a possible relationship between carotid intima-media thickness(IMT) peak systolic blood pressure (SBP), mean arterial pressure (MAP), body mass index (BMI), age and time of training in master athletes (MA). Methods: a sample of 100 MA(aged 50.0 ± 6.7 years) and 51 sedentaries ( S) (aged 51.1 ± 5.7), without cardiovascular risks factors were enrolled. By a questionnaire the weekly hours of sports activity was evaluated (at least 7.0 ± 2.6 h /w) in addition to the BMI. During an echographyc 2D exam a dedicated software (QIMT-Esaote) evaluated the IMT absolute and mean value in left and right common carotids. A treadmill modified Bruce test, was also provided. The heart rate, blood pressure at rest, at peak of the effort (PE)and after 4' minute of recovery and the MAP calculation were measured. Results: In both groups left IMT values resulted to be higher than right side(MA: 635 ± 104 vs 614 ± 104, average IMT 624 ± 92; S: 633 ± 78 vs 622 ± 90, average IMT 627 ± 78). A slight relationship between IMT and SBP at the PE was found in both groups (MA: R 0.28 p <0.01; S: R 0.32 p 0.02) as well as between IMT and mean arterial pressure at rest and at the PE in MA (rest R 0.25 p 0.01; PE: R 0.23 p 0.02). A mild relationship between IMT and age was confirmed in both groups (MA: R 0.30 p <0.01; S: R 0.30 p 0.03) while no relationships between IMT /BMI and IMT /weekly time of training was found. Conclusion: the study confirms the role of age in the wall carotid thickening. The progressive increase of SBP seems to have an impact on the enlargement of carotid wall mainly when the PE SBP values are high. The PA does not seems to have any effects in reducing carotid thickening in similar subjects for age and vascular risk factors.


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