Myocardial anomalies detected in long-distance runners after they cross the finish line should not be interpreted as signs of possible heart damage. Using cardiac MR, Canadian investigators have found evidence that these abnormalities are only temporary.
Dr. Davinder S. Jassal and colleagues at St. Boniface General Hospital Research Center in Winnipeg, MB, assessed the cardiac health of 14 nonprofessional athletes who ran the 2008 Manitoba Marathon.
Echocardiography and MR performed immediately after the race showed bichamber diastolic irregularities and a significant right-ventricle systolic decline. Cardiac biomarkers also showed abnormalities. But the investigators found no evidence of permanent myocardial injury on follow-up MR. They presented results at the 2009 International Conference of the American Thoracic Society.
