Correlation between Diastolic Function and Aerobic Power in Pro- fessional Soccer Players Correlación entre Función Diastólica y Potencia Aeróbica en Atletas de Futbol Profe- sional

4 . Medica da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro. Rio de Janeiro- RJ. Brasil-BR SUMMARY Introduction: High maximal oxygen uptake (V'O 2 max) in athletes is attributed to peripheral and especially myocardial adaptations to physical training. Structural changes in the "athlete's heart," associated with these adjustments, are well known. However, there is limited information on the role of ventricular function as a predictor of exercise capacity. Objective: This study aimed to identify indexes for the assessment of maximal aerobic power in professional soccer players based on the analysis of diastolic function on echocardiography at rest. Methods: This prospective study involved 66 professional soccer players and 39 non-athletes (controls) who underwent echocardiographic examination for analysis of diastolic function parameters at rest (early diastolic velocities (E and E'), late diastolic velocity (A), and E/A and E/E' ratios) and exercise test to exhaustion for analysis of V'O 2 max. Results: Athletes had higher E/A ratio (p= 0.008) and lower A velocity (p= 0.023) when compared with non-athletes. There was a correlation of V'O 2 max with A (r= -0.268, p= 0.037) and E' (r= 0.306, p= 0.018) velocities in athletes and with E/A ratio in both athletes (r= 0.314, p= 0.014) and non-athletes (r= 0.347, p= 0.036). After multiple regression analysis, only E/A ratio had an independent contribution to V'O 2 max. Conclusions: V'O 2 max in soccer players is related to some echocardiographic parameters at rest. E/A ratio was the only independent predictor of maximal aerobic power in this group. These findings may contribute to the assessment of aerobic fitness and provide information that may be applied to training in order to improve the performance of athletes during sports activities. Descriptors: Soccer; Sports; Athletes; Ventricular Function, Left, Echocardiography, Doppler