Aortic distensibility assessment by an external automatic noninvasive device in the professional football referees: A carotid-femoral (aortic) pulse wave velocity study

Abstract

Background: The referees officiate matches that range from local football that is the most popular sport in the world to Premier League matches. Pulse wave velocity (PWV) plays an important clinical role in patients under high cardiovascular risk and it is inversely correlated with arterial distensibility. The aim of this present study was to investigate aortic distensibility and related factors in the professional football referees.Methods: We recruited 96 football referees who were the members of a Football Federation and they were regularly maintaining sportive activities and training programs with a training history of many years. Twenty-seven healthy sedentary subjects comprised the control group. Aortic distensibility was assessed by automatic carotid-femoral (aortic) PWV measurement using the Complior Colson device (Createch Industrie, France). PWV is calculated from measurements of pulse transit time and the distance travelled by the pulse between two recording sites, according to the following formula: Pulse wave velocity (m/s) = distance (m) / transit time (s)Results: The waist circumference, hip circumference, systolic blood pressure, pulse pressure, heart rate and aortic PWV that is inversely correlated aortic distensibility were decreased in the football referees as compared with healthy sedentary subjects (p<0.05). Although there was a significant correlation between PWV and age (regression analysis: R=0.646, R2=0.417, F=1.715, p=0.033; for age p=0.043, t=2.057), there were no significant differences in the PWV and other parameters such as left ventricle end-diastolic diameter, mitral E velocity, systolic blood pressure, and platelets (p>0.05) between the study and the control groups.. Conclusions: Aortic distensibilities were decreased in the professional football referees as compared with healthy sedentary subjects.