Influence of training status on cardiac and vascular functioning in young recreational and competitive male rowers

Lavinia Falcioni; Maria Chiara Gallotta; Carlo Baldari; Ludovica Cardinali; Matteo Campanella; Dafne Ferrari; Laura Guidetti; Marco Meucci

doi:10.3389/fped.2023.1162594

Influence of training status on cardiac and vascular functioning in young recreational and competitive male rowers

Front Pediatr. 2023 Apr 6:11:1162594. doi: 10.3389/fped.2023.1162594. eCollection 2023.

Authors

Lavinia Falcioni¹, Maria Chiara Gallotta², Carlo Baldari³, Ludovica Cardinali¹, Matteo Campanella³, Dafne Ferrari^{3

4}, Laura Guidetti⁴, Marco Meucci⁵

Affiliations

¹ Department of Movement, Human and Health Sciences, University of Rome "Foro Italico", Rome, Italy.
² Department of Physiology and Pharmacology "Vittorio Erspamer", Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
³ Department of Theoretical and Applied Sciences, eCampus University, Novedrate, Italy.
⁴ Departement of Unicusano, Università Degli Studi Niccolò Cusano, Rome, Italy.
⁵ Department of Health and Exercise Science, Appalachian State University, Boone, NC, United States.

Abstract

Introduction: The aim of the study was to investigate the influence of training status on cardiovascular function in young male recreational and competitive rowers.

Methods: Ejection duration in percentage to the heart rate period (ED%), subendocardial viability ratio (SEVR), augmentation index at 75 bpm (AIx75) and carotid to femoral pulse wave velocity (cf-PWV) of competitive rowers (CR) (age 17.6 ± 4.1 years), recreational rowers (RR) (age 16.7 ± 2.70 years) and athletes practicing other recreational sports (ORS) (age 15.3 ± 1.4 years) were assessed.

Results: ED% was lower in CR compared to ORS (31.9 ± 3.9% vs. 38.4 ± 4.8%; p = 0.026) and cf-PWV was higher in CR compared to ORS (5.5 ± 1.0 m/s vs. 4.7 ± 0.5 m/s; p = 0.032). SEVR was higher in CR compared to RR and ORS (165.8 ± 33.7% vs. 127.4 ± 30.4% and 128.3 ± 27.8%; p = 0.022) and AIx75 was lower in CR compared to RR and ORS (-15.7 ± 8.6% vs. 1.2 ± 9.9% and 1.5 ± 9.1; p = 0.001).

Discussion: Healthy, young competitive male rowers reported higher myocardial performance and better cardiovascular health than recreational athletes. Interpretations of cf-PWV in competitive rowers should be performed alongside other cardiovascular indicators.

Keywords: cardiovascular health; non-invasive measurements; rower athletes; rowing training; young athletes.