[High performance athlete's heart: Results of a cross-sectional survey conducted in Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso]

Abstract

Purpose of the study: To describe the clinical, electrocardiographic and echocardiographic features of the athlete's heart.

Patients and methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted from August 2015 to February 2016 in the city of Bobo-Dioulasso in Burkina Faso. Athletes of high level of training (at least 8hours of weekly training, for more than six months regardless of the type of sport) have benefited from: a clinical examination, an electrocardiography and a cardiac ultrasound rest to look for electrical, morphological and functional cardiac changes.

Results: The 192 athletes with an athlete heart included had a median age of 24 years (IQI: 21-27). The median seniority in high performance sport was 6 years (IQI: 4-8) and 10hours weekly training sessions (IQI: 10-10). The consumption of tobacco, alcohol, tea/coffee, medicines and/or energy drinks was reported respectively in 4.2%, 7.3%, 99.0%, 53.4%. A history of exertional discomfort was reported by 4.7 athletes. Electrical modifications were present in 92.1%. Sinus bradycardia was the most common abnormality (75.0% of cases). The prevalence of left atrium dilatation and left ventricular dilation was 72.4 and 22.4%, respectively. That of left ventricular hypertrophy was 9.0%.

Conclusion: In the high-performance athlete, the prevalence of electrical, morphological and functional changes was high. These need to be known by practitioners to differentiate them from cardiac pathology.

Keywords: Athlete; Athlète; Burkina Faso; Clinic; Clinique; Cœur; Echocardiography; Electrocardiography; Heart; Échocardiographie; Électrocardiographie.