Wearable-Derived Training Load and Coronary Atherosclerosis in Middle-Aged and Older Athletes and Physically Active Controls: A New Perspective From the Master@Heart Study

R Pauwels; C Dausin; S Ruiz-Carmona; R De Bosscher; J De Paepe; Y Bekhuis; B Delpire; P Sinnaeve; S Dymarkowski; O Ghekiere; L Bruckers; T Kuznetsova; CM Van De Heyning; PL Van Herck; TMH Eijsvogels; L Herbots; T Robyns; A La Gerche; H Heidbuchel; R Willems; G Claessen

Journal article

Wearable-Derived Training Load and Coronary Atherosclerosis in Middle-Aged and Older Athletes and Physically Active Controls: A New Perspective From the Master@Heart Study

R Pauwels, C Dausin, S Ruiz-Carmona, R De Bosscher, J De Paepe, Y Bekhuis, B Delpire, P Sinnaeve, S Dymarkowski, O Ghekiere, L Bruckers, T Kuznetsova, CM Van De Heyning, PL Van Herck, TMH Eijsvogels, L Herbots, T Robyns, A La Gerche, H Heidbuchel, R Willems Show all

Circulation | Published : 2026

DOI: 10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.125.077117

Open access

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Middle-aged and older endurance athletes have increased prevalence of coronary artery disease (CAD) on coronary computed tomography angiography compared with healthy controls, despite similarly low cardiovascular risk. Previous studies relied on self-reported data to quantify training load (TL), which poorly correlates with objective wearable-derived TL and may bias outcomes. The effect of objective TL on CAD risk remains unknown. METHODS: In this observational, cross-sectional analysis of the Master@Heart study, 222 men (median age, 54 [49-59] years) were included: 77 lifelong athletes, 98 late-onset athletes, and 47 controls. TL was assessed using objective wearable-derived tra..

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