Published Online First

Aim: Bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) is a common congenital cardiac condition. The presence of BAV in non-elite athletes has been poorly investigated; it is usually asymptomatic until valvular stenosis, regurgitation or other vascular alterations are evident. Design: Over a three-year period, 2273 competitive athletes were consecutively investigated with transthor-acic echocardiography. The traditional parameters, the aortic root dimensions at four levels and the systolic and diastolic flow of aortic valve, were studied with continuous Doppler according to the echo guidelines. Setting: The study protocol included all the non-elite athletes investigated for the first evaluation to obtain eligibility