Background : Athlete ��� s heart is known to adapt to accommodate requirement of increase of cardiac output during exercise. Left ventricle remodeling is proceeded to augment ventricular systolic function. The aim of this study was to investigate the possible impact of ventricular diastolic function. Method : Conventional echocardiography was performed in 16 elite soccer players and age matched 16 normal volunteers. We measured the volume of left ventricle(LV) and left atrium(LA) by tracing endocardial border of LV and LA at end-diastolic and end-systolic phases using Simpson ���s method. The delta LA volume fraction ={(LAV systole-LAV diastole) / LAV systole} was calculated and compared between athletes and normal volunteer group. Correlation of delta LA volume fraction with E, A, E/A ratio and DT were also evaluated. Results : LV and LA end-diastolic dimensions and volumes were significantly higher (p<0.001). Although conventional E, A, E/A, DT, PHT, and LV mass data were not discriminant, but delta LA volume fraction was significantly larger in athletes group (p=001). Conclusion : The volumetric measurement may be helpful for diastolic function assessment with conventional spectral Doppler measures. Diastolic function of elite soccer player is certainly better than normal volunteer group in terms of delta LA volume fraction.

Echo measures	Soccer Player	Control	p value
LVEDD(mm)	53.06 짹 0.68	48.81 짹 3.46	0.0001
LVEDV(ml)	151.99  짹 19.38	102.77 짹 26.20	0.000001
LAV(ml)	24.27 짹 7.61	15.11 짹 3.98	0.000001
(LAV systole-LAV diastole) / LAV systole	0.60 짹 0.08	0.48 짹 0.12	0.001
E (cm/sec)	0.69 짹 0.11	0.77  짹 0.15	ns
A (cm/sec)	0.38 짹 0.11	0.44 짹 0.08	ns
E / A	1.91 짹 0.44	1.77 짹 0.43	ns
DT (msec)	190.2  짹 19.78	191.4 짹 13.38	ns
PHT (msec)	56.68 짹 5.51	57.57 짹 3.86	ns
LV mass	111.9 짹 24.07	103.5 짹 28.01	ns