Study on Heart Function in Adults With and Without Swimming-Induced Pulmonary Edema SIPE During Open Water Swimming

What this Trial Is About

Swimming Induced Pulmonary Edema SIPE is a condition that can occur during swimming in cold open water and is marked by sudden breathing difficulty, cough, excessive sputum, and sometimes coughing up blood. This research aims to better understand cardiac function in people with SIPE compared to swimmers without symptoms. It is a case-control study examining whether heart problems contribute to SIPE, as current knowledge and official guidelines for cardiac evaluation after SIPE are limited. The study includes about 12,000 swimmers at an annual open water event in Sweden called Vansbrosimningen. Participants are divided into two groups those diagnosed with SIPE based on lung ultrasound and low oxygen levels during or after the swim, and matched swimmers without respiratory symptoms or pulmonary edema. The study evaluates heart function using echocardiography, electrocardiograms ECG, and cardiac biomarkers Troponin I and NT-pro-BNP shortly after swimming and again at rest within 12 months. Participants will undergo acute heart tests within hours after swimming, including echocardiography and ECG focusing on heart rhythm, axis, intervals, and signs of ischemia, along with blood tests for cardiac biomarkers. They will also have baseline tests within a year after the swim. The study tracks these cardiac measures to assess heart function changes related to SIPE. The research is observational and includes ongoing safety monitoring, with participation lasting up to one year for follow-up assessments.

Cardiac Function in Swimming-Induced Pulmonary Edema (SIPE)