Differentiation of the Athlete’s Heart from Cardiomyopathy
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Differentiation of the Athlete’s Heart from Cardiomyopathy using Novel Echocardiographic Techniques: An Aid to Pre-Participation Screening
IRAS ID
169429
Contact name
David Oxborough
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital
Duration of Study in the UK
3 years, 3 months, 1 days
Research summary
The heart adapts to exercise training by increasing in size. However there is a group of heart muscle diseases known as cardiomyopathies which are also characterised by increases in heart size. Therefore we need to have a way of distinguishing between normal adaptation to exercise and something more sinister such as a cardiomyopathy. This is traditionally achieved through cardiac screening where the athlete undergoes a series of tests: a recording of electrical activity of the heart electrocardiogram (ECG) and an ultrasound scan (echocardiogram (ECHO)).
The ECG and ECHO are analysed and interpreted according to standard protocols to provide a diagnosis. However in some circumstances the results may not be clear cut and the subject may require further testing. We propose to use new and more recently developed ECHO techniques to provide a further assessment tool to aid differentiation and diagnosis of athlete’s heart or cardiomyopathy and reduce the need for an athlete to undergo further unnecessary testing.
The study will involve recruiting 2 groups of participants, 200 elite athletes and 150 patients with a known cardiomyopathy. Both groups will undergo ECG and ECHO. In addition, novel techniques will be applied to the stored data from the ECHO so the subject will have nothing more than the standard cardiac screening tests.
We will recruit patients with cardiomyopathy from a local hospital clinic that will include 50 patients with Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM), 50 patients with Arryhthmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy (ARVC) and 50 patients with Dilated Cardiomyopathy (DCM). Athletes will be recruited through the university or specific sports clubs.
All tests will be carried out by clinically trained cardiac physiologists. The subject will be required to attend once to the hospital, university or sports club for these tests to be carried out.REC name
London - West London & GTAC Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
16/LO/2245
Date of REC Opinion
20 Jan 2017
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion