Association between cardiovascular risk and coronary artery disease in Masters athletes

Oral Presentation C1.4

Authors

  • Barbara N. Morrison University of British Columbia
  • Saul Isserow Sports Cardiology BC
  • Mackenzie MacDonald Sports Cardiology BC
  • Carlee Cater Sports Cardiology BC
  • Ingrid Zwaiman Sports Cardiology BC
  • Jack Taunton University of British Columbia; Allan McGavin Sports Medicine Centre; Sports Cardiology BC
  • James McKinney Sports Cardiology BC
  • Darren E. R. Warburton University of British Columbia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.14288/hfjc.v14i3.651

Keywords:

Masters Athletes, Cardiovascular Screening, Risk Factors, Physical Activity

Abstract

Background: Studies have shown that coronary artery disease (CAD) is more prevalent in those with a lifelong exercise history compared to the general population and that cardiovascular risk scores (i.e., Framingham Risk Score (FRS)) underestimate the presence of CAD in Masters athletes (> 35 years old). Purpose: To establish whether physical activity intensity and volume in a highly active population contributes to the risk of CAD. Methods: Masters athletes (n=799) underwent yearly cardiovascular screening for five years, including, anthropometrics, blood pressure, blood lipids (to determine FRS), and a health survey. Participants with an abnormal screen underwent further evaluations. All variables of interest (age, sex, FRS, body mass index, LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, family history, physical activity volume, lifetime training hours, history of hypertension) were aggregated up to the first diagnosis for those that were diagnosed and aggregated over the entire time period for those who were not diagnosed. Logistic regression analysis assessed the relationship between cardiovascular risk factors and CAD. Results: 81 (10%) Masters athletes were diagnosed with CAD over the study period. Increasing age (OR=1.05, 95%CI 1.00-1.09; p=0.038), FRS (%) (OR=1.09, 95%CI 1.03-1.16; p=0.003), and LDL cholesterol (mmol/L) (OR=1.71, 95% CI 1.22-2.40; p=0.002) were statistically significant in predicting the presence of CAD, whereas physical activity intensity and volume were not. Conclusions: These results support the utility of the cardiovascular risk score (FRS) in predicting CAD in Masters athletes, whereas physical activity/exercise participation does not. Funding: Canadian Institutes of Health Research (FRN: 157930), Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (RGPIN-2018-04613), and MITACs. 

Published

2021-09-30

How to Cite

Morrison, B., Isserow, S., MacDonald, M., Cater, C., Zwaiman, I., Taunton, J., McKinney, J., & Warburton, D. (2021). Association between cardiovascular risk and coronary artery disease in Masters athletes: Oral Presentation C1.4. The Health & Fitness Journal of Canada, 14(3). https://doi.org/10.14288/hfjc.v14i3.651

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