Effects of a long-distance run on cardiac markers in healthy athletes

Mathie P.G. Leers; Raymond Schepers; Ruben Baumgarten

doi:10.1515/CCLM.2006.179

Article

Effects of a long-distance run on cardiac markers in healthy athletes

Mathie P.G. Leers , Raymond Schepers and Ruben Baumgarten

Published/Copyright: September 21, 2011

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From the journal Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (CCLM) Volume 44 Issue 8

Abstract

Background: Running a marathon is a stressful event for athletes. Limited research exists on the role of cardiac markers during such a strenuous event. The aim of this study was to investigate detailed changes in cardiac markers before and after a long-distance run.

Methods: We studied 25 male and 2 female runners (age 34–64years) who were running the Visé-Maastricht-Visé marathon. Blood samples were drawn just before and immediately after finishing the marathon. An additional blood sample was collected 24h later.

Results: Running the marathon led to a significant increase in cortisol. This returned to baseline values 24h after the marathon. There was a slight increase in brain natriuretic peptide (BNP); however, this was not statistically significant. On the contrary, the N-terminal fragment of BNP (NT-pro-BNP) was significantly increased immediately after the run and was normalized 24h later in 26 out of 27 runners (96%). The magnitude of the transient elevations in BNP and NT-pro-BNP increased with the age of the athletes. Furthermore, in 9 out of 27 runners there was a significant increase in troponin T. However, in all these runners this increase was transient and troponin-T levels returned to baseline values 24h after the marathon.

Conclusions: Running a marathon significantly increases NT-pro-BNP levels in healthy adults. This increase could be partially attributed to cardiac stress. The transient increases in BNP, NT-pro-BNP and troponin T are more likely to reflect myocardial stunning than cardiomyocyte damage. It seems that the magnitude of the increase in BNP could serve as a marker of the biological age of the myocardium.

Clin Chem Lab Med 2006;44:999–1003.

Keywords: brain natriuretic peptide; cardiac fatigue; cardiac injury; endurance training; myocyte

Corresponding author: Mathie P.G. Leers, PhD, Atrium Medical Center Parkstad, Department of Clinical Chemistry and Hematology, P.O. Box 4446, 6401 CX Heerlen, The Netherlands Phone: +31-45-5767503, Fax: +31-45-5766255, m.leers@atriummc.nl

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Received: 2006-3-15

Accepted: 2006-4-24

Published Online: 2011-9-21

Published in Print: 2006-8-1

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https://doi.org/10.1515/CCLM.2006.179

Keywords for this article

brain natriuretic peptide; cardiac fatigue; cardiac injury; endurance training; myocyte