Introduction .– The intense and prolonged exercise training is accompanied by modifications of echocardiography and electrocardiogram.

Objective .– Our work has compared the echocardiographic and electrocardiographic parameters of sporting subjects to control subjects in good health whose main difference is the sport.

Materials and methods .– We report the results of a prospective study compared 30 athletes and 30 normal subjects, and whose only difference is the sport. This study analyzed the electrocardiogram, transthoracic echocardiography at rest and at peak of exercise. The statistical analysis used the Student test to compare means, and percentages using SPSS. The significance level was set at 5%.

Results .– The average age of our patients was 21 years and six months, range: 14 years to 45 years, with a male predominance (78.3%), 47 male and 13 female. Clinically the two series show no statistically significant difference regarding age, weight, height and blood pressure. At the electrocardiogram, athletes have a lower heart rate (45.2 ± 7.0 bpm) vs. (71.3 ± 8.9 bpm) ( P = 0.005), a PR interval longer (0.27 ± 0.4 s) vs. (0.12 ± 0.7 s) ( P = 0.05), a Sokolow largest (37.4 ± 4.3 mm) vs. (22.6 ± 3.2 mm) ( P < 0.0005) and abnormal repolarization mainly represented by negative T waves ( P = 0.02), an ST segment elevation in V2 and V3 ( P < 0.0005) and a right bundle branch block ( P = 0.003). Echocardiography showed dilated right cavities: right atrial (20.3 ± 4.3 cm ² ) vs. (10.5 ± 3.4 cm ² ) ( P = 0.0125) and right ventricular (26.2 ± 4.1 mm) vs. (21.3 ± 2.3 mm) ( P = 0.025). Left ventricular walls are thicker in athletes: septal wall (11.5 ± 3.2 mm) vs. (7.2 ± 2.0 mm) ( P = 0.0125) and posterior wall (10.5 ± 2.3 mm) vs. (7.1 ± 2.0 mm) ( P = 0.025). Despite a difference in the values of left ventricular diastolic diameter (5 mm on average, between two series), the level of significance was not reached. The left atrial is also dilated (18.2 ± 5.6 cm ² ) vs. (13.4 ± 4.0 cm ² ) ( P = 0.025). The average myocardial mass indexed to body surface area was 148.3 g/m ² in athletes vs. 97.21 g/m ² in normal subjects ( P = 0.005).

Conclusion .– Echocardiographic and electrocardiographic changes are the result of a prolonged and intense sporting activity. Abnormalities of cardiac parameters (echocardiography) concomitant with a moderate physical training should force them to seek an etiology.