Acute Effects of High Intensity Competition on Macroelements and Relationship with Corrected QT Interval

Abstract

The purpose of this study is the find the changes of calcium, sodium and potassium ions and relationship with QTc interval in professional athletes during a short duration intense exercise. Thirty-two male athletes (age, 26.9±4.7 yrs) competed in 8 minutes high intensity competition. The competition items included: Running on Skillmill for 400 meters; Three-stage deadlifting, bar pulling up, 30-kilogram kettle bell swinging and throwing 20 sand-filled balls. The resting electrocardiogram was recorded in a sitting position for one minute. Venous blood samples were obtained before and immediately after the competition and analyzed for sodium, potassium and calcium. Plasma volume changes were estimated from hemoglobin and hematocrit readings before and after competition. The results showed that the serum calcium (p lt;0.001) and sodium (p lt;0.001) levels significantly increased as a result of intense exercise activities while the serum potassium (p lt;0.001) significantly decreased. After adjusting raw data for plasma volume changes serum calcium, sodium and potassium significantly decreased (p lt;0.001). No significant relationship between QTc and Ca, Na and K at rest. These results implicated that high-intensity exercise would provoke the change of macroelements and the current data suggest that the Ca, Na and K don’t have relationship with QTc at rest.

Keywords

• calcium
• potassium
• sodium
• athletes
• sudden cardiac death