Ultrasound Examination of Cardiovascular Profiles of Runners Participating in High Altitude Race and their Possible Influence on Performance: A Randomized Cross-sectional Study
Orelien Sylvain Mtopi Bopda *
Department of Zoology and Animal Physiology, Faculty of Science, University of Buea, P.O.Box 63 Buea, Cameroon and Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Buea, P.O.Box 63 Buea, Cameroon
Martin Anchang Salah
Department of Animal Production Technology, College of Technology, University of Bamenda, P.O.Box 39 Bambili, Cameroon
Vincent Siysi Verla
Department of Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Buea, P.O.Box 63 Buea, Cameroon and Regional Hospital, Annex Buea, P.O.Box 32 Buea, Cameroon
Calvin Tonga
Department of Animal Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Douala, P.O.Box 24 157 Douala, Cameroon
Jacques Cabral Tchoumi Tantchou
Cardiac Centre, St. Elizabeth Catholic General Hospital, P.O.Box 8 Kumbo, Cameroon
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Objectives: This work was aimed at investigating, by means of ultrasonography, the impact of cardiovascular parameters on the physical endurance of runners participating in high altitude race.
Experimental Design: This was a cross-sectional study.
Place and Duration of the Study: The study was carried out in Cameroon. Anthropometric and cardiovascular parameters were recorded at the Regional Hospital annex of Buea (Cameroon) on the 12th and 13th February while race times were recorded at Molyko Stadium of Buea, on the 15th February 2014.
Methodology: Out of 241 runners who finished the senior Mount Cameroon Race of Hope, 69 who were at least at their second participation, had voluntarily participated in the study. Haemodynamic parameters were collected through 2D transthoracic ultrasonography. Mann-Withney or Kruskal-Wallis tests and linear regression were used for statistical analysis. The significance level was set at p-value<0.05.
Results: The mean LVEDD, LVDV, LVSV, LVMMI, SF/EF and TAPSE were 2.7±0.3 cm/m2, 88.5±49.3 mL/m2, 53.4±30.7 mL/m2, 131.1±28.6 g/m2, 69.3±9.4% and 1.7±0.3 cm/m2 respectively. In males and females, LVDV (mL/m2) was 98.6±55.3 vs. 64.2±12.6 (p=0.011) while LVSV (mL/m2) was 61.6±33.2 vs. 33.9±6.2 (p=0.0004), respectively. The linear regression model revealed that the lower the altitude, the greater the race time i.e. the weaker the performance (p=0.005; r2=0.12). In addition increase of LVDV related with increase of residential (p=0.025; r2=0.12) and training (p=0.021; r2=0.13) altitudes.
Conclusion: Optimal values of haemodynamic parameters and/or high training altitude could be boosters of performance in endurance race at high altitude.
Keywords: Runners, cardiovascular ultrasonography, haemodynamic parameters, performance, endurance, altitude