A study involving 106 veteran male endurance athletes, conducted over a median period of 720 days, found a significant correlation between myocardial fibrosis and the occurrence of ventricular arrhythmias. The participants, aged over 50, had trained extensively for at least 15 years and were asymptomatic with no prior cardiovascular issues. The study revealed that 47.2% had focal myocardial fibrosis, particularly affecting the inferolateral segment of the left ventricle. Roughly 21.7% experienced ventricular arrhythmias, with those affected showing a higher prevalence of myocardial fibrosis. Further investigation is required to clarify whether the fibrosis directly contributes to arrhythmias or indicates underlying heart muscle pathology.

Source: Circulation: Cardiovascular Imaging