ORIGINAL ARTICLE  SPORT CARDIOLOGY 

The Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness 2019 October;59(10):1771-8

DOI: 10.23736/S0022-4707.19.09247-8

Copyright © 2019 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English

The influence of non-modifiable and modifiable factors on cardiac biomarkers after marathon running

Thomas G. MARTIN ¹ ✉, Rachel W. PATA ², David JOU ³, Gabriela NAROWSKA ¹, Karen MYRICK ⁴, Kelly A. MALLOY ², Amanda M. LAFALCE ², Richard FEINN ³

¹ Department of Biomedical Sciences, Quinnipiac University, Hamden, CT, USA; ² Department of Physical Therapy, Quinnipiac University, Hamden, CT, USA; ³ Frank H. Netter MD School of Medicine, Quinnipiac University, Hamden, CT, USA; ⁴ School of Nursing, Quinnipiac University, Hamden, CT, USA

BACKGROUND: This study investigated the influence of modifiable (training) and non-modifiable factors (age and gender) on cardiac troponin I (cTnI) and B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) levels post-marathon.
METHODS: Thirteen female and nine male recreational runners participated in the 2015 Hartford Marathon. A venous blood draw was taken from each subject at 24 hours pre-race, immediately post-race and 24 hours post-race.
RESULTS: Weekly mileage and weekly long runs were recorded for a 12-week period prior to the marathon. No association was found between age and BNP (P=0.11, P=0.50) or cTnI (P=0.69, P=0.28) for either post-race time points. No association was found between gender and cTnI for either post-race time points (P=0.09, P=0.57). However, BNP elevation, at 24 hours post-race was more pronounced in females than males (P=0.047). For cTnI levels immediately post-race, a negative association was found for average weekly mileage (P=0.006), while a positive association was found for the number of long runs exceeding 20 miles (P=0.05). No association between training and BNP were found.
CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that female runners may experience greater cardiac stress than males. In addition, runners with greater weekly training mileage experienced less cardiac stress post-race, while runners who ran too many 20+ mile long runs, experienced more cardiac stress post-marathon.

KEY WORDS: Running; Gender; Biomarkers