Cardiovascular Screening in College Athletes With and Without Electrocardiography

Abstract

None.

Comparison of Electrocardiographic Criteria for the Detection of Cardiac Abnormalities in Elite Black and White Athletes

“…9 Although such categorization has improved specificity, 8,10 false-positive rates between 10% and 20% have invariably prompted calls for further refinement. 11 A recent collaboration between international experts culminated in the Seattle criteria, 12 which have improved specificity in some populations.…”

“…[1][2][3] Whereas evidence from Italy suggests that ECG-based screening is effective at detecting athletes with potentially serious cardiac disorders, 4,5 justifiable concerns remain related to high false-positive rates arising from the overlap between physiological ECG patterns and those reflecting cardiac pathology. [6][7][8] …”

Athlete's Heart and Cardiovascular Care of the Athlete

“…Observational data from the Italian national experience and recent prospective trial data from the United States suggest that ECG may improve the sensitivity of preparticipation cardiovascular screening. 125,126 However, a number of issues, ie, the financial and manpower costs of the mandated ECG, the high rate of false-positive ECG findings, the cost of follow-up testing for those with abnormal results, the logistics of ECG acquisition and interpretation, and considerations about future insurability for athletes with detected disease, represent considerable obstacles to implementing a mandatory 12-lead ECG as part of preparticipation screening in the United States. Although additional observational data from organizations or nations using ECG are welcomed, this issue will almost certainly remain controversial until a prospective, randomized, multinational trial is conducted to provide a definitive answer.…”

Accuracy of ECG-inclusive preparticipation screening in athletes: more work to be done

“…Our group recently conducted a study in which US collegiate athletes were studied with echocardio graphy to confirm or exclude the key structural cardiac conditions associated with sudden death [9]. Next, this same population of athletes were subjected in a blinded study design to PPS limited to history and physical examination, and PPS with ECG added to history and physical examination.…”