Cardiovascular Journal of Africa: Vol 34 No 2 (MAY/JUNE 2023)

CARDIOVASCULAR JOURNAL OF AFRICA • Volume 34, No 2, May/June 2023 AFRICA 113 as a limiting factor in establishing the relationship between LA diameter and the age of the elite football players. Differences between the training regimes and the physical statuses of football players may be considered another limitation. Conclusion Even though the P-wave morphology was similar, significant electrophysiological changes were identified in football players, including P wave and PR-interval duration. The diameter, volume and index values of the LA were found to be significantly increased in the football players. Higher values of pulmonary acceleration time and TAPSE were detected in the football players. The significantly higher morphological and functional LA parameters measured in the elite football players compared to the healthy non-athlete control subjects indicated that morphological and functional remodelling occurs as a physiological adaptation mechanism in elite football players. 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