Changes in Echocardiographic Parameters among Beninese Soccer Referees during the Division 1 Championship in 2016

Abstract EN

Introduction.

The goal of this study was to describe the echocardiographic parameters of soccer referees and to examine the changes in these parameters after a period of intensive physical exercise.

Methods and Patients.

We conducted a prospective study that included Beninese soccer referees.

The study of the geometry and function of the left ventricle (LV) was made at the beginning and end of the national Division 1 championship, which was held during the course of 10 weeks.

Results.

There were 37 referees included in this study; 20 at the national level (G1: 27.8 ± 6.6 years) and 17 at the international level (G2: 32.1 ± 6.4 years).

Dimensions of the LV were normal for all the referees.

At the beginning of the championship, 51.3% of the referees had a normal LV geometry, 37.8% had concentric remodelling, 2.7% had concentric hypertrophy, and 8.1% had eccentric hypertrophy.

In the group of referees with normal LV geometry, a modification in concentric remodelling at the end of the championship was seen in 30% of the referees in G1, 33.3% of the referees in G2, and 31.6% of the whole sample.

In the group of subjects who presented concentric LV remodelling, a modification in the normal geometry was observed in 37.5% of those in G1, in 0% of those in G2, and in 21.4% of the whole sample.

The cases of LV hypertrophy showed no change regardless of the group considered.

An LV ejection fraction of more than 50% and an E/E′ ratio less than 8 were found in all referees.

Conclusion.

All the referees studied had normal cardiac morphology and function.

The intensity of the physical load was insufficient to impact this morphology.