Low rates of inflammatory heart disease among athletes with Covid 19; JAMA Cardiology

Troponin testing, electrocardiography (ECG), and resting echocardiography were performed after a positive COVID-19 test result. Interleague, deidentified cardiac data were pooled for collective analysis. Those with abnormal screening test results were referred for additional testing, including cardiac magnetic resonance imaging and/or stress echocardiography. The prevalence of abnormal RTP test results potentially representing COVID-19–associated cardiac injury, and results and outcomes of additional testing generated by the initial screening process.

Data analysis revealed some interesting facts.

• The study included 789 professional athletes (mean [SD] age, 25 [3] years; 777 men [98.5%]). A total of 460 athletes (58.3%) had prior symptomatic COVID-19 illness, and 329 (41.7%) were asymptomatic or paucisymptomatic (minimally symptomatic).
• Testing was performed a mean (SD) of 19 (17) days (range, 3-156 days) after a positive test result.
• Abnormal screening results were identified in 30 athletes (3.8%; troponin, 6 athletes [0.8%]; ECG, 10 athletes [1.3%]; echocardiography, 20 athletes [2.5%]), necessitating additional testing; 5 athletes (0.6%) ultimately had cardiac magnetic resonance imaging findings suggesting inflammatory heart disease (myocarditis, 3; pericarditis, 2) that resulted in restriction from play.
• No adverse cardiac events occurred in athletes who underwent cardiac screening and resumed professional sport participation.

"The results of this study provide an early opportunity to assess the potential for clinical effectiveness of current athletic RTP screening recommendations and the prevalence of relevant COVID-19–associated cardiac pathology in a large-scale setting. The low prevalence of clinically detectable inflammatory heart disease in this athlete population with nonsevere COVID-19 illness offers a counterpoint to findings of higher rates of COVID-19 myocarditis and pericarditis reported in recent small cohort and CMR-based observational studies in athletes."thw team concluded.

For the full article follow the link: 10.1001/jamacardio.2021.0565

Primary source: JAMA Cardiology