Erythropoietin doping as cause of sudden death in athletes: an experimental study (original) (raw)

Aims: To evaluare rhe cardiovascular (CV) effecrs of rhEPO rrearmenr in rars under chronic aerobic exercise and ro assess rhe probable cause of sudden dearh in one raro Protocol:Male Wisrar rars: conrrolsedenrary;rhEPO-50 IU/Kg/3xwk;swimming (EX)lhr, 3x/wk; EX+EPO. Haemarology, carecholamines and seroronin, redox srarus and inflammarion, were assessed. One rar of EX+EPO group suffered a sudden dearh episode. Results: rhEPO rrearmenr in rrained rars promored several markers of increased CV risk. The sudden dearh rar rissues presenred: lungs wirhour signs of drowning; brain wirh vascular congesrion; LV hyperrrpphy and deregularion of cardiac fibers, rogerher wirh a "cardiac liver", suggesring rhe hyporhesis of hearr failure as cause of dearh. Conclusion: The sudden dearh of a EX+EPO rar, due ro a cardiac episode, rogerher wirh rhe increased CV risk profile, srrongly suggesr a high life risk associared ro rhe conrinuous rhEPO doping. The anaromo-parhological srudies were dererminanr ro esrablish rhe cause of dearh.