Chest pain in an elite master ultra-marathon runner: a case report with a follow-up on his subsequent athletic activity

• Authors: Ewa Sadowska-Krępa , Barbara Kłapcińska , Dagmara Gerasimuk , Adam Rzetecki , Zbigniew Waśkiewicz , Zbigniew Gąsior , Aleksandra Żebrowska , Thomas Rosemann , Pantelis T. Nikolaidis , Beat Knechtle

Abstracts

EN

Ultra-marathon running has enjoyed increasing popularity, with the number of master ultra-marathon runners growing annually. This study presents a case of a 51-year-old highly experienced long-distance runner (body mass: 65.1 kg, body height: 168 cm), who took part in a 48-h ultra-marathon race held in 2010, but dropped out of the competition due to acute cardiac problems manifested after 16 h of running and having completed a distance of 129 km. Two weeks following the race, intense cardiac examination was performed to explain the drop-out due to chest pain. A 12‑lead electrocardiogram, a 2D transthoracic echocardiography in 3 apical projections of the left ventricle, a computed tomography of the chest, an invasive coronary angiography and a maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) test were performed. The 12-lead ECG revealed a negative T wave in III and aVF without morphological abnormalities. The echocardiographic examinations presented a normal size and function of the heart chambers, and a normal valvar structure and function (only trivial mitral and tricuspid regurgitation was observed). The invasive coronary arteriography – due to an increased calcium score in the CT scan – showed only a non-significant systolic dynamic narrowing in the eighth segment of the left anterior descending artery due to a muscle bridge. The physical performance characteristics of the athlete and a follow-up history of his athletic activity showed that the cardiac problems he had experienced during the ultra-marathon race did not prevent him from being active in sport.

Keywords

EN

running; drop-out; health outcomes; metabolic changes; ultra-marathon race; physical ability

• Publisher: Instytut Medycyny Pracy im. prof. dra Jerzego Nofera w Łodzi
• Journal: International Journal of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health
• Year: 2020
• Volume: 33
• Issue: 4
• Pages: 523-534

Dates

published

2020

Contributors

author

Ewa Sadowska-Krępa

• Jerzy Kukuczka Academy of Physical Education, Katowice, Poland (Institute of Sport Sciences)

author

Barbara Kłapcińska

• Jerzy Kukuczka Academy of Physical Education, Katowice, Poland (Institute of Sport Sciences)

author

Dagmara Gerasimuk

• Jerzy Kukuczka Academy of Physical Education, Katowice, Poland (Department of Sports Training)

author

Adam Rzetecki

• Jerzy Kukuczka Academy of Physical Education, Katowice, Poland (Institute of Sport Sciences)

author

Zbigniew Waśkiewicz

• Jerzy Kukuczka Academy of Physical Education, Katowice, Poland (Institute of Sport Sciences)
• Sechenov University, Moscow, Russia (Department of Sports Medicine and Medical Rehabilitation)

author

Zbigniew Gąsior

• Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland (Department of Cardiology, School of Health Science)

author

Aleksandra Żebrowska

• Jerzy Kukuczka Academy of Physical Education, Katowice, Poland (Institute of Sport Sciences)

author

Thomas Rosemann

• University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland (Institute of Primary Care)

author

Pantelis T. Nikolaidis

• Exercise Physiology Laboratory, Nikaia, Greece

author

Beat Knechtle

• University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland (Institute of Primary Care)
• Medbase St. Gallen Am Vadianplatz, St. Gallen, Switzerland

Identifiers

DOI

10.13075/ijomeh.1896.01535

Biblioteka Nauki

2116586