ExerciseULTRA-ECHONCT07753694
Acute Cardiac Effects of Ultra-Trail Running
An observational study of Exercise and Cardiac Function, run by Central Hospital, Nancy, France at 1 site in France.
Trial summary
This prospective observational study aims to investigate the acute cardiovascular effects of ultra-endurance running using comprehensive echocardiographic assessment combined with biological analyses. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 years and olderHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Exercise, Cardiac Function, Echocardiography
- How many people
- 60 participants
- Where
- 1 siteFrance
- Study dates
- May 2027to May 2027
- Phase
- Observational
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 years and older
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult, Older adult
Study population: Adult ultra-endurance runners participating in the "Trail des Échos" ultra-trail race (80 km or 160 km), screened prior to participation and recruited to investigate physiological cardiovascular adaptations to prolonged endurance exercise in individuals without known cardiovascular disease.
Who may be able to join
- Adults aged ≥18 years
- Registered participants in the "Trail des Échos" ultra-trail race (80 km or 160 km)
- Valid health clearance according to French Athletics Federation requirements
- Affiliation with a national health insurance system
- Able to understand study procedures and provide written informed consent
Who cannot join
- Known or suspected cardiovascular disease at screening, including coronary artery disease, heart failure, clinically significant arrhythmias, moderate-to-severe valvular disease, uncontrolled hypertension, or prior stroke
- Acute infection or unstable chronic medical condition (e.g., uncontrolled diabetes, renal, hepatic, respiratory, thyroid, or inflammatory disease)
- Current treatments that may interfere with cardiovascular or biological assessments (including renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system blockers, chronic diuretics, anticoagulants, or systemic corticosteroids)
- Use of systemic non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs within 3 days before the race or planned during the event
- Participation in another ultra-endurance race (≥80 km) within 7 days before or after the study race
- Pregnancy or breastfeeding
- Inability to provide informed consent or legal protection status
- Participation in another interventional clinical study
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
Ninon Mougel, MD contact
France1 site
Centre Hospitalier Régional Universitaire de Nancy
Vandœuvre-lès-Nancy, Meurthe-et-Moselle, 54511
Nathalie Pace, MD, +33383157352, n.pace@chru-nancy.fr
Ninon Mougel, MD, n.mougel@chru-nancy.fr
About this study
Official title: Echocardiographic Assessment of the Acute Impact of an Ultra-Trail Race on Cardiac Function
This prospective observational study aims to investigate the acute cardiovascular effects of ultra-endurance running using comprehensive echocardiographic assessment combined with biological analyses. The main hypothesis is that participation in an ultra-trail race induces acute and transient changes in cardiac function involving both the left and right ventricles, associated with elevations in cardiac biomarkers, with physiological responses varying according to race distance and training level and showing spontaneous recovery within the days following the event.
Adult amateur runners participating in ultra-trail races of 80 km or 160 km will undergo standardized clinical evaluation, electrocardiography, and transthoracic echocardiography with myocardial deformation analysis at multiple time points, including baseline, pre-effort, during the race, immediately after exercise, and during early recovery approximately one week after the event. Biological sampling will be performed before the race, immediately after exercise, and at follow-up.
Read more
The primary objective is to evaluate acute changes in left ventricular systolic function assessed by global longitudinal strain. Secondary objectives include the assessment of biventricular and atrial function, cardiac and non-cardiac biomarkers, recovery patterns after ultra-endurance exercise, and the influence of race distance, training level, performance level, and sex on cardiovascular responses.
This exploratory single-center study conducted in France seeks to provide an integrative characterization of cardiac adaptations to extreme endurance exercise and to generate physiological insights that may guide future research and cardiovascular monitoring strategies in endurance athletes.
Read the detailed description
Ultra-endurance running has gained increasing popularity, yet its acute cardiovascular effects remain incompletely characterized. Previous studies in endurance athletes have reported transient changes in myocardial function and elevations in cardiac biomarkers after prolonged exercise, but available data in ultra-trail settings remain limited and heterogeneous. Most prior investigations relied on pre- and post-race comparisons, small sample sizes, or incomplete assessment of right ventricular and atrial function, and rarely integrated multimodal echocardiographic imaging with standardized biological analyses.
The ULTRA-ECHO study is a prospective observational physiology study designed to investigate acute and short-term cardiovascular adaptations to ultra-endurance exercise under real-life conditions. Adult runners participating in the "Trail des Échos" ultra-trail race (80 km or 160 km) will undergo standardized transthoracic echocardiography, clinical evaluation, and biological sampling at predefined time points, including baseline screening, pre-effort, during the race, immediately after exercise, and during early recovery approximately one week after the event. Echocardiographic acquisitions will be performed using standardized imaging protocols on identical ultrasound systems, with centralized offline analysis and blinded secondary review in order to ensure reproducibility and minimize operator-related bias.
The primary focus of the study is the assessment of left ventricular global longitudinal strain (GLS), a sensitive marker of subclinical systolic myocardial function that may detect exercise-induced myocardial fatigue even when conventional ejection fraction remains preserved. Secondary evaluations include comprehensive structural and functional echocardiographic parameters of the left ventricle, right ventricle, and left atrium, as well as cardiac and systemic biological responses to prolonged endurance exercise.
This exploratory before-after design does not include a control group, as each participant serves as their own control through repeated within-subject assessments. The study also aims to explore potential modifiers of cardiovascular responses, including race distance, finisher status, training level, performance level, and sex. By integrating sequential imaging, biomarker analysis, and early follow-up evaluation, ULTRA-ECHO seeks to improve understanding of transient cardiac adaptations and recovery dynamics associated with ultra-endurance exercise and to generate physiological insights that may inform future research and cardiovascular monitoring strategies in endurance athletes.
- Conditions
- Exercise, Cardiac Function, Echocardiography
- Keywords
- Ultra-endurance exercise, Ultra-trail running, Myocardial strain, Cardiac biomarkers
- Medical subject headings
- Motor Activity
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Ultra-Endurance Runners | Adult amateur runners participating in ultra-trail races (80 km or 160 km) undergoing prospective echocardiographic and biological assessments to evaluate acute cardiovascular adaptations to ultra-endurance exercise. |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Left Ventricular Global Longitudinal Strain (GLS)
Left ventricular global longitudinal strain measured by transthoracic echocardiography using speckle-tracking analysis. Image acquisition is standardized and analyzed centrally with blinded secondary review to assess subclinical systolic myocardial function in ultra-endurance runners.
Measured: Pre-effort (Baseline / Day 0) and immediately post-effort (at time of completion, typically Day 1 to Day 3)
Secondary outcomes (9)
Structural echocardiographic parameters, ventricular volumes, and myocardial strain
Assessment of left and right ventricular sizes and volumes (millimeters or milliliters), left atrial dimensions (millimeters or milliliters per square meter) and function, alongside right ventricular free-wall strain (percentage), measured by standardized transthoracic echocardiography
Measured: Pre-effort (Baseline / Day 0), during effort (Day 1 to 2), and immediately post-effort (at time of completion, typically Day 1 to Day 3)
Echocardiographic assessment of systolic and diastolic function
Assessment of left and right ventricular systolic and diastolic function, including FAC (percentage), TAPSE (millimeters), and S' wave (centimeters per second), measured by standardized transthoracic echocardiography
Measured: Pre-effort (Baseline / Day 0), during effort (Day 1 to 2), and immediately post-effort (at time of completion, typically Day 1 to Day 3)
Echocardiographic assessment of pulmonary pressures
Assessment of pulmonary pressures (millimeters of mercury) measured by standardized transthoracic echocardiography
Measured: Pre-effort (Baseline / Day 0), during effort (Day 1 to 2), and immediately post-effort (at time of completion, typically Day 1 to Day 3)
Serum high-sensitivity troponin levels
Measurement of serum high-sensitivity troponin levels (nanograms per liter) to evaluate myocardial stress
Measured: Pre-effort (Baseline / Day 0) and immediately post-effort (at time of completion, typically Day 1 to Day 3)
Serum NT-proBNP levels
Measurement of serum N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) levels (picograms per milliliter) to evaluate cardiac wall stretch
Measured: Pre-effort (Baseline / Day 0) and immediately post-effort (at time of completion, typically Day 1 to Day 3)
Serum creatine kinase levels
Measurement of serum creatine kinase levels (units per liter) to evaluate skeletal or myocardial muscle damage
Measured: Pre-effort (Baseline / Day 0) and immediately post-effort (at time of completion, typically Day 1 to Day 3)
Number of participants with abnormal non-cardiac biological laboratory findings
Number of participants presenting with laboratory values outside the standard reference ranges for systemic biological responses, including electrolytes, creatinine, complete blood count, and lactate
Measured: Pre-effort (Baseline / Day 0) and immediately post-effort (at time of completion, typically Day 1 to Day 3
Cardiovascular recovery assessed by transthoracic echocardiography
Evaluation of myocardial structural and functional recovery, specifically tracking changes in right ventricular free-wall strain (percentage), ventricular volumes (milliliters), and diastolic velocities (centimeters per second) between the end of the race and follow-up
Measured: Immediately post-effort (at time of completion, Day 1 to 3) and at follow-up (6 ± 1 days post-race)
Cardiovascular recovery assessed by serum cardiac biomarkers
Evaluation of cardiac biomarker clearance and recovery, specifically tracking changes in high-sensitivity troponin levels (nanograms per liter) and NT-proBNP levels (picograms per milliliter) between the end of the race and follow-up
Measured: Immediately post-effort (at time of completion, Day 1 to 3) and at follow-up (6 ± 1 days post-race)
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted7 Aug 2026
- Study startMay 2027 (estimated)
- Primary completionMay 2027 (estimated)
- Study completionMay 2027 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for ExerciseStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by Central Hospital, Nancy, FranceThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Observational
- Observational model
- Cohort
- Time perspective
- Prospective
- Enrolment
- 60 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Central Hospital, Nancy, France
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Association PACElab
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, PACE Nathalie, Central Hospital, Nancy, France
- Investigators
- Nathalie Pace, MD, Principal investigator, CHRU de Nancy
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07753694
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 2025-A02579-40
- Acronym
- ULTRA-ECHO
- Status last verified
- Aug 2026
- First submitted
- 22 Feb 2026
- Last updated
- 7 Aug 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- Undecided
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 7 Aug 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Echocardiographic Assessment of the Acute Impact of an Ultra-Trail Race on Cardiac Function
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07753694
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- ULTRA-ECHO / 2025-A02579-40
- Conditions
- Exercise, Cardiac Function, Echocardiography
- Keywords
- Ultra-endurance exercise, Ultra-trail running, Myocardial strain, Cardiac biomarkers
- Study type
- Observational
- Recruitment status
- Not yet recruiting
- Enrolment
- 60 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- Central Hospital, Nancy, FranceUniversity, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Association PACElab
- Study start
- May 2027 (estimated)
- Primary completion
- May 2027 (estimated)
- Study completion
- May 2027 (estimated)
- First posted
- 7 Aug 2026 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
This prospective observational study aims to investigate the acute cardiovascular effects of ultra-endurance running using comprehensive echocardiographic assessment combined with biological analyses. The main hypothesis is that participation in an ultra-trail race induces acute and transient changes in cardiac function involving both the left and right ventricles, associated with elevations in cardiac biomarkers, with physiological responses varying according to race distance and training level and showing spontaneous recovery within the days following the event.
Adult amateur runners participating in ultra-trail races of 80 km or 160 km will undergo standardized clinical evaluation, electrocardiography, and transthoracic echocardiography with myocardial deformation analysis at multiple time points, including baseline, pre-effort, during the race, immediately after exercise, and during early recovery approximately one week after the event. Biological sampling will be performed before the race, immediately after exercise, and at follow-up.
The primary objective is to evaluate acute changes in left ventricular systolic function assessed by global longitudinal strain. Secondary objectives include the assessment of biventricular and atrial function, cardiac and non-cardiac biomarkers, recovery patterns after ultra-endurance exercise, and the influence of race distance, training level, performance level, and sex on cardiovascular responses.
This exploratory single-center study conducted in France seeks to provide an integrative characterization of cardiac adaptations to extreme endurance exercise and to generate physiological insights that may guide future research and cardiovascular monitoring strategies in endurance athletes.
Detailed description
Ultra-endurance running has gained increasing popularity, yet its acute cardiovascular effects remain incompletely characterized. Previous studies in endurance athletes have reported transient changes in myocardial function and elevations in cardiac biomarkers after prolonged exercise, but available data in ultra-trail settings remain limited and heterogeneous. Most prior investigations relied on pre- and post-race comparisons, small sample sizes, or incomplete assessment of right ventricular and atrial function, and rarely integrated multimodal echocardiographic imaging with standardized biological analyses.
The ULTRA-ECHO study is a prospective observational physiology study designed to investigate acute and short-term cardiovascular adaptations to ultra-endurance exercise under real-life conditions. Adult runners participating in the "Trail des Échos" ultra-trail race (80 km or 160 km) will undergo standardized transthoracic echocardiography, clinical evaluation, and biological sampling at predefined time points, including baseline screening, pre-effort, during the race, immediately after exercise, and during early recovery approximately one week after the event. Echocardiographic acquisitions will be performed using standardized imaging protocols on identical ultrasound systems, with centralized offline analysis and blinded secondary review in order to ensure reproducibility and minimize operator-related bias.
The primary focus of the study is the assessment of left ventricular global longitudinal strain (GLS), a sensitive marker of subclinical systolic myocardial function that may detect exercise-induced myocardial fatigue even when conventional ejection fraction remains preserved. Secondary evaluations include comprehensive structural and functional echocardiographic parameters of the left ventricle, right ventricle, and left atrium, as well as cardiac and systemic biological responses to prolonged endurance exercise.
This exploratory before-after design does not include a control group, as each participant serves as their own control through repeated within-subject assessments. The study also aims to explore potential modifiers of cardiovascular responses, including race distance, finisher status, training level, performance level, and sex. By integrating sequential imaging, biomarker analysis, and early follow-up evaluation, ULTRA-ECHO seeks to improve understanding of transient cardiac adaptations and recovery dynamics associated with ultra-endurance exercise and to generate physiological insights that may inform future research and cardiovascular monitoring strategies in endurance athletes.
Study design
- Observational model
- Cohort
- Time perspective
- Prospective
- Number of arms
- 1
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Ultra-Endurance Runners | – | –Adult amateur runners participating in ultra-trail races (80 km or 160 km) undergoing prospective echocardiographic and biological assessments to evaluate acute cardiovascular adaptations to ultra-endurance exercise. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
- Study population
- Adult ultra-endurance runners participating in the "Trail des Échos" ultra-trail race (80 km or 160 km), screened prior to participation and recruited to investigate physiological cardiovascular adaptations to prolonged endurance exercise in individuals without known cardiovascular disease.
Key inclusion criteria (5 listed)
- Adults aged ≥18 years
- Registered participants in the "Trail des Échos" ultra-trail race (80 km or 160 km)
- Valid health clearance according to French Athletics Federation requirements
- Affiliation with a national health insurance system
- Able to understand study procedures and provide written informed consent
Key exclusion criteria (8 listed)
- Known or suspected cardiovascular disease at screening, including coronary artery disease, heart failure, clinically significant arrhythmias, moderate-to-severe valvular disease, uncontrolled hypertension, or prior stroke
- Acute infection or unstable chronic medical condition (e.g., uncontrolled diabetes, renal, hepatic, respiratory, thyroid, or inflammatory disease)
- Current treatments that may interfere with cardiovascular or biological assessments (including renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system blockers, chronic diuretics, anticoagulants, or systemic corticosteroids)
- Use of systemic non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs within 3 days before the race or planned during the event
- Participation in another ultra-endurance race (≥80 km) within 7 days before or after the study race
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Primary outcome
Left Ventricular Global Longitudinal Strain (GLS)
Time frame: Pre-effort (Baseline / Day 0) and immediately post-effort (at time of completion, typically Day 1 to Day 3)
Left ventricular global longitudinal strain measured by transthoracic echocardiography using speckle-tracking analysis. Image acquisition is standardized and analyzed centrally with blinded secondary review to assess subclinical systolic myocardial function in ultra-endurance runners.
9 secondary outcomes
Structural echocardiographic parameters, ventricular volumes, and myocardial strain
Time frame: Pre-effort (Baseline / Day 0), during effort (Day 1 to 2), and immediately post-effort (at time of completion, typically Day 1 to Day 3)
Echocardiographic assessment of systolic and diastolic function
Time frame: Pre-effort (Baseline / Day 0), during effort (Day 1 to 2), and immediately post-effort (at time of completion, typically Day 1 to Day 3)
Echocardiographic assessment of pulmonary pressures
Time frame: Pre-effort (Baseline / Day 0), during effort (Day 1 to 2), and immediately post-effort (at time of completion, typically Day 1 to Day 3)
Serum high-sensitivity troponin levels
Time frame: Pre-effort (Baseline / Day 0) and immediately post-effort (at time of completion, typically Day 1 to Day 3)
Serum NT-proBNP levels
Time frame: Pre-effort (Baseline / Day 0) and immediately post-effort (at time of completion, typically Day 1 to Day 3)
Serum creatine kinase levels
Time frame: Pre-effort (Baseline / Day 0) and immediately post-effort (at time of completion, typically Day 1 to Day 3)
Number of participants with abnormal non-cardiac biological laboratory findings
Time frame: Pre-effort (Baseline / Day 0) and immediately post-effort (at time of completion, typically Day 1 to Day 3
Cardiovascular recovery assessed by transthoracic echocardiography
Time frame: Immediately post-effort (at time of completion, Day 1 to 3) and at follow-up (6 ± 1 days post-race)
Cardiovascular recovery assessed by serum cardiac biomarkers
Time frame: Immediately post-effort (at time of completion, Day 1 to 3) and at follow-up (6 ± 1 days post-race)
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 7 Aug 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: Undecided
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part.
Ninon Mougel, MD contact
Nathalie Pace, MD principal investigator
CHRU de Nancy
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
An observational study of Exercise and Cardiac Function, run by Central Hospital, Nancy, France at 1 site in France.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 5 inclusion and 8 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: opening soon, as of the sponsor's last update on 7 Aug 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in France. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
Contact Nathalie Pace, MD (+33383157352, n.pace@chru-nancy.fr), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Left Ventricular Global Longitudinal Strain (GLS) (time frame: Pre-effort (Baseline / Day 0) and immediately post-effort (at time of completion, typically Day 1 to Day 3)). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 7 Aug 2026.