Cardiac Sympathetic Dysfunction in an Athlete's Heart Detected by 123I-Metaiodobenzylguanidine Scintigraphy

Shinro Matsuo; Yasuyuki Nakamura; Masayuki Takahashi; Toshiki Matsui; Junya Kusukawa; Shintaro Yoshida; Hajime Hamamoto; Masahiko Kinoshita

doi:10.1253/jcj.65.371

Clinical Investigation

Cardiac Sympathetic Dysfunction in an Athlete's Heart Detected by ¹²³I-Metaiodobenzylguanidine Scintigraphy

Shinro Matsuo, Yasuyuki Nakamura, Masayuki Takahashi, Toshiki Matsui, Junya Kusukawa, Shintaro Yoshida, Hajime Hamamoto, Masahiko Kinoshita

Author information

Shinro Matsuo
First Department of Internal Medicine, Shiga University of Medical Science
Yasuyuki Nakamura
First Department of Internal Medicine, Shiga University of Medical Science
Masayuki Takahashi
First Department of Internal Medicine, Shiga University of Medical Science
Toshiki Matsui
First Department of Internal Medicine, Shiga University of Medical Science
Junya Kusukawa
First Department of Internal Medicine, Shiga University of Medical Science
Shintaro Yoshida
First Department of Internal Medicine, Shiga University of Medical Science
Hajime Hamamoto
First Department of Internal Medicine, Shiga University of Medical Science
Masahiko Kinoshita
First Department of Internal Medicine, Shiga University of Medical Science

Keywords: Athlete's heart, H/M, Iodine-123-labeled metaiodobenzylguanidine (MIBG) scintigraphy, Washout rate

JOURNAL FREE ACCESS

2001 Volume 65 Issue 5 Pages 371-374

DOI https://doi.org/10.1253/jcj.65.371

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Abstract

The athlete's heart is commonly characterized by an increase in left ventricular mass because of an increase in the left ventricular diastolic cavity dimensions or wall thickness or both. Endurance exercise also induces numerous cardiovascular adaptations, including increased vagal tone. However, the sympathetic function has not yet been precisely elucidated, so the present study evaluated cardiac sympathetic nerve function from metaiodobenzylguanidine (MIBG) images obtained 15 and 180 min after the injection of ¹²³I-MIBG at a dose of 111 MBq. The ratio of heart/mediastinum count (H/M) and the washout rates of ¹²³I-MIBG (WR) were calculated in 25 consecutive patients who were athletes (aged 52±13 years) and 23 normal subjects. There was a significant difference in the H/M between the athletic and normal hearts (2.3±0.3 vs 2.6±0.3, p<0.01, Scheffe's test). An increased WR was observed in the athletes group when compared with the normal group (34±4 vs 28±3, p<0.01), and there was a significant correlation between WR and the left ventricular mass index (r=0.578, p<0.01). Prolonged exercise training may alter cardiac sympathetic nerve function, which can be detected by MIBG imaging. (Jpn Circ J 2001; 65: 371 - 374)

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