1. Use of Electrocardiographic Screening to Clear Athletes for Return to Sports Following COVID-19 Infection
- Author
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Jacob L. Erickson, DO, Joseph T. Poterucha, DO, Alecia Gende, DO, Mark McEleney, MD, Corey M. Wencl, LAT, Marisa Castaneda, MS, ATC, Lindsay Gran, CMA, Joel Luedke, ATC, LAT, Jill Collum, LAT, Karen M. Fischer, MPH, and Andrew R. Jagim, PhD
- Subjects
Medicine (General) ,R5-920 - Abstract
Objective: To quantify the occurrence rate of abnormal electrocardiographic (ECG) findings and symptoms following coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection. Patients and Methods: In this retrospective analysis, we studied adult patients (>18 years old) who were participating in collegiate athletics and previously tested positive for COVID-19 between August 1, 2020, and December 30, 2020. The athletes underwent general examinations and ECG screening prior to being medically cleared for a return to sports following their COVID-19 diagnosis. Predetermined predictors were grouped into categorical variables including (1) sex, (2) symptom severity, and (3) body mass index (normal vs overweight [≥24 kg/m2]). These variables were used to examine differences of abnormal rates that occurred between different predictor categories. Results: Of the 170 athletes screened, 6 (3.5%) presented with abnormal ECG findings and were referred to cardiologists. We found no evidence that sex, symptom severity, and body mass index category were associated with a higher rate of abnormal ECG findings (all P>.05). Greater severity of COVID-19 symptoms was associated with a higher percentage of ST depression, T-wave inversion, ST-T changes, and the presence of fragmented QRS complex. Loss of smell, loss of taste, headache, and fatigue were the most prevalent symptoms, with 38.8% (66), 36.5% (62), 32.9% (56), and 25.3% (43), respectively, of the 170 athletes reporting each symptom. Conclusion: Preliminary findings indicate a low risk of myocardial injury secondary to COVID-19 infection, with less than 4% of the 170 patients in our study presenting with abnormal ECG findings and a total of 16 patients (9.4%) requiring referral to a cardiologist. Although viral myocarditis was not detected in any athlete referred for cardiological assessment, 2 patients experienced effusive viral pericarditis.
- Published
- 2021
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