Issue 25-3, 2026

Original article

https://doi.org/10.38025/2078-1962-2026-25-3-77-82

Technology for Early Diagnosis of Latent Right Ventricular Dysfunction in Elite Athletes with Overtraining Syndrome: A Control Study

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ORCIDDmitry A. Andreev, ORCIDAnna A. Kish*, ORCIDEvgeny V. Goloborodko

A.I. Burnazyan Federal State Budgetary Institution of the Federal Medical and Biological Agency of Russia, Moscow, Russia


ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION. To date, the main diagnostic value of echocardiography is data on the work of the left ventricle.

AIM. Evaluation of an extended echocardiography protocol that is performed immediately after brief aerobic exercise and allows the detection of early (hidden) right ventricular (RV) dysfunction in highly trained athletes with overtraining syndrome (OTS).

MATERIALS AND METHODS. The study was conducted on the basis of the A.I. Burnazyan Federal State Budgetary Institution of the Federal Medical and Biological Agency of Russia in the period from July 2025 to December 2025 and examined 103 high-class athletes, divided into two groups: group 1 (n = 52) — healthy athletes and group 2 (n = 51) — athletes with overtraining. The protocol included standard resting transthoracic echocardiography and a repeat study immediately after bicycle ergometry with individually matched power (reference for heart rate — ~ 130–140 beats/min) and analysis of right ventricular parameters: RV FAC (right ventricular area change fraction), S' (systolic velocity of the tricuspid annulus movement) and TAPSE (systolic excursion of the tricuspid annulus); LVEF (left ventricular ejection fraction), GLS (global longitudinal deformity of the left ventricle) were additionally recorded.

RESULTS. At rest, no differences in pancreatic function between the groups were revealed. After loading, a significant decrease in the following indicators relative to the reference thresholds was recorded in the OTS group: RV FAC from 51.75 % to 31.00 %, S' from 13.45 cm/s to 7.65 cm/s, TAPSE from 20.94 mm to 14.61 mm, while in the “Healthy” group the indicators remained within the normal range.

DISCUSSION. As a result of the study, the use of an extended echocardiography protocol with mandatory post-exercise registration made it possible to identify latent dysfunction of the right ventricle, which is not recorded at rest. The parameters of the left ventricle in the studied groups remained within the normal range, which confirms the selectivity of damage to the right parts of the heart in the early stages of overtraining syndrome.

CONCLUSION. The data obtained confirm the diagnostic value of the post-exercise extended echocardiography protocol for the early detection of latent RV dysfunction in overtraining syndrome. The practical application of the proposed approach will make it possible to prescribe timely rehabilitation programs for the RV in the early stages of this pathology before the pronounced clinical manifestation.


KEYWORDS: overtraining syndrome, elite athletes, right ventricle, echocardiography, post-exercise echocardiography, restorative treatment

FOR CITATION: Andreev D.A., Kish A.A., Goloborodko E.V. Technology for Early Diagnosis of Latent Right Ventricular Dysfunction in Elite Athletes with Overtraining Syndrome: A Control Study. Bulletin of Rehabilitation Medicine. 2026; 25(3):77–82. https://doi.org/10.38025/2078-1962-2026-25-3-77-82 (In Russ.).]

FOR CORRESPONDENCE:

Anna A. Kish, E-mail: akish@fmbcfmba.ru


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