Effect of regular exercise after third decade on Doppler-derived left ventricular filling

The present study prospectively evaluated filling properties of the left ventricle by pulsed tissue Doppler echocardiography in subjects >35 years old who exercised regularly. Data from 30 subjects (>35 years) who exercised regularly (group I) were compared with 30 age-matched subjects who did not exercise regularly (group II) and with data from 30 younger (22 to 35 years) subjects (group III). Except for the lower heart rate in group I, there were no significant differences between groups I and III; however, subjects in groups I and III, compared with group II, had significantly higher average early (E) waves (14.0 ± 1.9 and 15.1 ± 2.1 vs 12.5 ± 2.6; p = 0.0001), lower average late (A) waves (8.2 ± 1.8 and 8.2 ± 1.5 vs 10.6 ± 1.6; p <0.0001), and higher average E/A ratios (1.8 ± 0.5 and 1.9 ± 0.4 vs 1.3 ± 0.4; p <0.0001), respectively. Regular exercise after the third decade precludes the age-related decrease in E waves, increase in A waves, and a decrease in the E/A ratio.