Current guidelines for pre-participation screening of competitive athletes in the US include a comprehensive history and physical examination. In this study, researchers screened athletes according to the guidelines and used electrocardiography and echocardiography to further screen people who appeared to be at increased risk for heart conditions.
Abstract
Background
Current guidelines for preparticipation screening of competitive athletes in the US include a comprehensive history and physical examination. The objective of this study was to determine the incremental value of electrocardiography and echocardiography added to a screening program consisting of history and physical examination in college athletes.
Methods
Competitive collegiate athletes at a single university underwent prospective collection of medical history, physical examination, 12-lead electrocardiography, and 2-dimensional echocardiography. Electrocardiograms (ECGs) were classified as normal, mildly abnormal, or distinctly abnormal according to previously published criteria. Eligibility for competition was determined using criteria from the 36th Bethesda Conference on Eligibility Recommendations for Competitive Athletes with Cardiovascular Abnormalities.
Results
In 964 consecutive athletes, ECGs were classified as abnormal in 334 (35%), of which 95 (10%) were distinctly abnormal. Distinct ECG abnormalities were more common in men than women (15% vs 6%, PConclusions
Distinctly abnormal ECGs were found in 10% of athletes and were most common in black men. Noninvasive screening using both electrocardiography and echocardiography resulted in identification of 9 athletes with important cardiovascular conditions, 2 of whom were excluded from competition. These findings offer a framework for performing preparticipation screening for competitive collegiate athletes.
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— Anthony Magalski, MD, Marcia McCoy, RN, MSN, Michael Zabel, MD, Lawrence M. Magee, MD, Joseph Goeke, MD, Michael L. Main, MD, Linda Bunten, RN, BSN, Kimberly J. Reid, MS, Brian M. Ramza, MD, PhD
This article originally appeared in the May 2011 issue of The American Journal of Medicine.
