Marathoners' hearts under the microscope: is that plaque dangerous?
NCT ID NCT07625488
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Aug 14, 2026 · Updated 4 times
Summary
This study follows 250 male endurance athletes who were part of an earlier study to see how their heart arteries have changed over time. Researchers will use CT scans and AI to examine plaque buildup and determine if it is stable and harmless or likely to cause heart attacks. The goal is to understand why some athletes develop calcium deposits in their heart arteries despite being very fit.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this study could clarify whether high levels of endurance exercise cause dangerous or harmless plaque buildup in athletes' hearts.
- What could go wrong
- This is an observational study, not a treatment trial. It cannot prove cause and effect, and results may not apply to non-athletes or women.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Participants
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About 250 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
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May 2026
- Expected to finish
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Dec 2027
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
Who is studied
Participants are invited from the established MARC cohort, which originally included 318 Caucasian, middle-aged (≥45 years) male amateur athletes recruited between 2012 and 2014. At baseline, athletes were eligible if they engaged in regular endurance exercise and were free of known cardiovascular disease. All participants underwent a comprehensive sports medical evaluation without abnormalities prior to enrollment. The initial exclusion criteria included inability to provide informed consent and medical conditions precluding participation in exercise testing or CT imaging.
- Ages
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45 years and older
- Sex
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Male participants only
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: \- Previous participation in the original MARC study (enrolled between 2012-2014). Exclusion Criteria: * Inability to provide written informed consent. * Not willing to receive information about potential incidental CT findings. * Concurrent participation in an interventional study targeting cardiovascular health. Additional exclusion criteria for CCTA: * Not willing to undergo CCTA with intravenous contrast. * History of severe allergic reaction to iodinated contrast agents. * Renal dysfunction (eGFR \< 30 mL/min/1.73 m²). Additional exclusion criteria for maximal exercise testing: * Absolute contraindications to maximal exercise testing as defined by institutional SOPs, including but not limited to: * Recent acute myocardial infarction (3-5 days) * Unstable angina * Uncontrolled arrhythmias with symptoms or hemodynamic compromise * Syncope * Active endocarditis * Acute myocarditis or pericarditis * Uncontrolled heart failure * Acute pulmonary embolus or pulmonary infarction * Lower extremity thrombosis * Suspected aortic dissection * Uncontrolled asthma * Pulmonary edema * Resting room-air oxygen saturation ≤ 85 percent * Respiratory failure * Acute non-cardiopulmonary disorders that impair or are aggravated by exercise (e.g., infection, renal failure, thyrotoxicosis) * Mental impairment preventing cooperation
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
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The places running it
2 sites. The list below names each one and where it is.
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The official record
The full official record for this study. This one lists no contact details, but it is the first place any would appear.
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A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Radboud University Medical Center
Nijmegen, 6525 GA, Netherlands
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University Medical Center Utrecht
Utrecht, 3584 CX, Netherlands
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