Elite athletes who died of enlarged hearts may have a genetic mutation

Enlarged hearts are found often, but not exclusively, in those who are obese, have diabetes or high blood pressure. People with none of these underlying problems can be affected, as can elite athletes.  For example, a post-mortem diagnosed the problem in Cameroon football midfielder Marc-Vivien Foe, who died in 2003 after collapsing during an international match in France. Elite runner Olympic hopeful Ryan Shay died of complications involving an enlarged heart – the very condition that made him a great runner.

An international  research team headed up by Imperial College, UK say they have for the first time linked enlarged hearts with a gene, osteoglycin (Ogn).

Work carried out on rodents and some 30 humans indicated that Ogn – which has never before been linked with heart function – regulated the growth of the heart’s main pumping chamber, its left ventricle.  When this gene behaves abnormally the heart can become enlarged, putting the person at an increased risk of common heart diseases and heart attacks.

For further information, click on:

http://www3.imperial.ac.uk/newsandeventspggrp/imperialcollege/newssummary/news_29-4-2008-13-31-10

Elaine Warburton  www.geneticsandhealth.com