Download PDF
Int J Sports Med 2004; 25(3): 177-181
DOI: 10.1055/s-2003-45256
Training & Testing

© Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart · New York

Qt Dispersion in Soccer Players During Exercise Testing

E. Kasikcioglu1 , A. Kayserilioglu1 , S. Yildiz1 , H. Akhan2 , C. Cuhadaroglu3
  • 1Istanbul University, Istanbul Medical School, Department of Sports Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey
  • 2Ersek Center for Cardiovascular Surgery, Istanbul, Turkey
  • 3Istanbul University, Istanbul Medical School, Department of Chest Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey
Further Information

Publication History

Accepted after revision: June 10, 2003

Publication Date:
15 April 2004 (online)

Also available at
    Permissions and Reprints

Abstract

Screening for cardiac health should involve relevant parameters or indices that are easy and inexpensive to obtain. Various cardiac adaptation mechanisms develop during regular exercise that are affected by many factors, and these are reflected on a surface electrocardiogram. QT dispersion has been considered a surrogate for heterogeneity of repolarization, leading to ventricular arrhythmias. We compared QT parameters between athletes and sedentary subjects. A total of 225 men were assessed, comprising a group of professional soccer players and sedentaries. Each subject underwent supine 12-lead electrocardiographic examinations and exercise testing by ergospirometry. QT parameters were taken at rest and at peak exercise. Peak oxygen consumption was considerably higher in the athletes than in the controls (59.3 ± 5.6 vs. 44.3 ± 2.4 ml/kg/min, mean ± SD, p < 0.001). QT parameters at rest: There were significant differences in heart-rate-corrected rest maximal QT duration (413.9 ± 50.5 vs. 445.3 ± 45.7 ms, p < 0.001) and in heart-rate-corrected rest minimum QT duration (380.5 ± 51.2 vs. 409.5 ± 46.7 ms, p < 0.001). QT parameters at peak exercise: maximal QT duration at peak exercise (253.9 ± 20.8 vs. 261.7 ± 26.2, p = 0.02), QT dispersion at peak exercise (25.2 ± 9.1 vs. 29.5 ± 15.8 ms, p = 0.04), heart-rate-corrected QT dispersion at peak exercise (44.6 ± 16.4 vs. 52.6 ± 28.3 ms, p = 0.03) differed significantly between professional soccer players and controls. QT dispersion and corrected QT dispersion at peak exercise are lower in athletes than in controls. Athletes and other subjects identified with a long QT interval should be examined at regular intervals.

Key words

QT dispersion - exercise testing - peak oxygen consumption - athlete’s heart - long-QT syndrome

References

  • 1 Arab D, Valeti V, Schünemann H J, Lopez-Candales A. Usefulness of the QTc interval in predicting myocardial ischemia in patients undergoing exercise stress testing.  Am J Cardiol. 2000;  85 764-766
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 2 Bazett HC. An analysis of time relations of electrocardiograms.  Heart. 1920;  7 353-370
    PubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 3 Bland JM, Altman D G. Statical methods for assessing agreement between two methods of clinical measurement.  Lancet. 1986;  1 307-310
    PubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 4 Day C P, McComb J M, Campbell R W. QT dispersion in sinus beats and ventricular extrasystoles in normal hearts.  Br Heart J. 1992;  67 39-41
    PubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 5 Dekker J M. The value of the heart-rate corrected QT-interval for cardiovascular risk stratification.  Eur Heart J. 1999;  20 250-251
    PubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 6 Dillenburg R F, Hamilton R M. Is exercise testing useful in identifying congenital long QT syndrome?.  Am J Cardiol. 2002;  89 233-236
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 7 Halle M, Huonker M, Hohnloser S H. QT dispersion in exercise-induced myocardial hypertrophy.  Am Heart J. 1999;  138 309-312
    PubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 8 Jones N. Evaluation of a microprocessor-controlled exercise testing system.  J Appl Physiol. 1984;  57 1312-1319
    PubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 9 Kornitzer M. Predictive value of electrocardiographic markers for autonomic nervous system dysfunction in healthy populations: more studies needed.  Eur Heart J. 2001;  22 109-112
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 10 Krahn A D, Nguyen-Ho P, Klein G J, Yee R, Skanes A C, Suskin N. QT dispersion: An electrocardiographic derivate of QT prolongation.  Am Heart J. 2001;  141 111-116
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 11 Malik M. Measurement, interpretation and clinical potential of QT dispersion.  J Am Coll Cardiol. 2000;  36 1749-1766
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 12 Maron B J, Leyhe J M, Casey S A. Assessment of QT dispersion as a prognostic marker for sudden death in a regional nonreferred hypertrophic cardiomyopathy cohort.  Am J Cardiol. 2001;  87 114-115
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 13 Mayet J, Kanagaratnam P, Shahi M, Senior R, Doherty M, Poulter N R, Sever P S, Handler C E, Thom S A, Foale R A. QT dispersion in athletic left ventricular hypertrophy.  Am Heart J. 1999;  137 678-681
    PubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 14 Okin M P, Devereux R B, Howard V B. Assessment of QT interval and QT dispersion for QT dispersion for prediction of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in American indians. The strong heart study.  Circulation. 2000;  101 61-66
    PubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 15 Schouten E G, Dekker J M, Meppelink P, Kok F J, Vandenbroucke J P, Pool J. QT interval prolongation predicts cardiovascular mortality in an apparently healthy population.  Circulation. 1991;  84 1516-1523
    PubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 16 Siscovick D S, Weiss N S, Fletcher R H. The incidence of primary cardiac arrest during vigorous exercise.  N Engl J Med. 1984;  311 874-877
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 17 Sokolow M, Lyon T P. The ventricular complex in left ventricular hypertrophy obtained by unipolar precordial and limb leads.  Am Heart J. 1949;  37 161-186
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 18 Soler-Soler J, Galve E. QT dispersion after myocardial infarction with heart failure: additional prognostic marker?.  Eur Heart J. 1999;  20 1146-1148
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 19 Toivonen L. More light on QT interval measurement.  Heart. 2002;  87 193-194
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 20 Zabel M, Franz M R, Klingenheben T. Rate-dependence of QT dispersion and the QT interval: Comparison of atrial pacing and exercise testing.  J Am Coll Cardiol. 2000;  36 1654-1658
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar

E. Kasikcioglu

Istanbul University · Istanbul Medical School · Department of Sports Medicine

Resitpasa c. Salkim s. No 2/5 · Avcilar · 34840 Istanbul · Turkey

Phone: +90 212 509 3540

Fax: +90 212 631 1317

Email: erhul@hotmail.com