Abstract
The presence of T-wave inversions in anterior or lateral leads on an electrocardiogram (ECG) can indicate a range of conditions, from benign to serious, such as myocardial ischemia. While ECG is not a routine screening tool for athletes, and T-wave inversions in anterior or lateral leads are not typically used as the primary diagnostic tool, integrating this with noninvasive vascular health measures like Augmentation Index (Alx@75) and Pulse Wave Velocity (PWV) could provide valuable insights. Both Alx@75 and PWV are measures of arterial stiffness and thus related to cardiovascular risk. Cardiac screening in active and athletic females is under-researched, so understanding the differences in cardiac health factors between inactive and active females with T-wave inversions is crucial. Furthermore, our screenings could help detect potential hidden cardiac risks and protect from potential ischemic issues when the females are provided with their data. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to compare vascular health between inactive and active females who present with T-wave inversions. METHODS: We included females who had T-wave inversion in anterior or lateral leads. An expert interpreter (DF) and a student researcher (NT) identified females who presented with T-wave inversion in a resting ECG during our clinical screening study. There were 24 females included in our analysis, 12 active (>150 min exercise/wk) and 12 inactive. All females reported to the lab after a 4-hour fast for the screening. Each female underwent a 12-lead resting ECG, supine Pulse Wave Analysis (PWA) to measure Alx@75 and central blood pressure, resting PWV using SphygmoCor XCEL technology, body composition, and lipid measures. RESULTS: The females in our study were 42.1 yrs, had normal brachial blood pressure (113.1 / 67.8 mmHg), and normal cholesterol levels (179.5 47.4 TC; 64 16.5 HDL; 96.8 45.7 LDL levels). There were no differences between active and inactive females in these measures (P>0.05). We found that Alx@75 was higher in inactive females (27.8 7.6 vs 6.6 6.3%, P0.05) between groups. CONCLUSION: Our data suggest that even with t-wave inversion, active females may have better vascular health. Larger studies need to confirm this.
Recommended Citation
Tasevski, Natalya; Wheelock, Brianna; and Feairheller, Deborah L.
(2024)
"Comparing Vascular Measures in Active and Inactive Females with Anterior or Lateral T-wave Inversions,"
International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings: Vol. 14:
Iss.
4, Article 57.
Available at:
https://digitalcommons.wku.edu/ijesab/vol14/iss4/57
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