Overview

• The MuCAYA cohort of 142 pediatric athletes was evaluated at baseline and one year with VO2 peak bicycle testing, echocardiography, and vascular assessments.
• Rising aerobic fitness correlated with greater cardiac mass, higher central systolic blood pressure, increased arterial stiffness, and thicker carotid intima-media.
• These associations persisted after adjusting for age, sex, and body mass index, though the results remain observational.
• The work, led by the Technical University of Munich with the University of Eastern Finland, is published in the American Journal of Physiology-Heart and Circulatory Physiology.
• Authors highlight alignment with prior youth data and note higher cardiovascular risks reported in some elite adult athletes, emphasizing the need for ongoing follow-up.