Prevalence of Ascending Aortic Dilation in Sports Medicine

University Hospital, Caen400 enrolled

Overview

This study aims to assess the prevalence of ascending aortic dilation in athletes from the general population undergoing routine sports medicine evaluation. It also evaluates the predictive factors and the reproducibility of focused cardiac ultrasound.

Ascending aortic dilation is a potentially serious and underdiagnosed cardiovascular condition, particularly in the context of physical activity. While its prevalence has been studied in elite athletes, little data is available regarding the general athletic population undergoing routine sports medicine evaluation. This study aims to investigate the prevalence of ascending aortic dilation in a general population of recreational and competitive athletes. This is an observational study conducted at the Sports Medicine Department of Caen University Hospital (France). The study will include athletes over the age of 10 who consult for a pre-participation medical evaluation. A focused cardiac ultrasound (FCU) protocol targeting the ascending aorta will be systematically performed using a portable ultrasound device during routine clinical assessment. When indicated, a standard transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) will be used as the reference method for comparison. The primary objective of the study is to estimate the prevalence of ascending aortic dilation in this population. The secondary objective is to explore potential predictive factors, including cardiovascular risk factors and exercise history. This study may help clarify the utility of FCU as a screening tool in sports medicine and contribute to improved early detection of aortic abnormalities in apparently healthy, physically active individuals. Further research may be warranted to assess long-term cardiovascular outcomes in this population.

Study Type

OBSERVATIONAL

Enrollment

400

Conditions

Aortic Aneurysm Athlete

Interventions

focused cardiac ultrasoundOTHER

A focused cardiac ultrasound will be performed to measure the dimensions of ascending aorta

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 10 YearsHealthy volunteers:

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: * Individuals aged 10 years and older * Consulting for a pre-participation sports medicine evaluation at the Caen University Hospital * No known history of cardiovascular disease * Underwent a focused cardiac ultrasound (FCU) of the ascending aorta as part of the consultation * Consent given for use of anonymized medical data for research purposes Exclusion Criteria: * Previous diagnosis of aortic disease or cardiovascular malformation * Incomplete or non-interpretable FCU images * Existing cardiology follow-up with echocardiography less than 3 years old * Refusal to participate or opposition to data use

Locations (1)

CHU de Caen Normandie

Caen, France

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Prevalence of Ascending Aortic Dilation in Athletes

Proportion of athletes (recreational and competitive) identified with ascending aortic dilation, as determined by focused cardiac ultrasound. Dilation is defined as an aortic diameter ≥ 40 mm and/or a Z-score ≥ 2, according to age-adjusted reference values.

Time frame: Baseline

Secondary Outcomes

Predictive Factors for Ascending Aortic Dilation

Association between ascending aortic dilation and clinical variables, including age, sex, blood pressure, body mass index, cardiovascular risk factors, and characteristics of physical activity

Time frame: Baseline

Data from ClinicalTrials.gov

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