Publications by authors named "B Di Giacinto"
Background: The Tokyo Olympic games were the only games postponed for a year in peacetime, which will be remembered as the COVID-19 Olympics. No data are currently available on the effect on athlete's performance.
Aim: To examine the Italian Olympic athletes who have undergone the return to play (RTP) protocol after COVID-19 and their Olympic results.
Background: Whether cardiovascular (CV) risk factors might impact Left Ventricular (LV) mass in athletes is unknown.
Methods: The impact of CV risk factors (Total/LDL cholesterol, triglycerides, positive family history, smoking, body fat, blood pressure), constitutional characteristics (age, sex, body mass index) and type of sport was assessed in 1111 Olympic athletes.
Results: Multivariate logistic regression analysis demonstrated a significant impact: BMI ≥ 30 kg/m (odds ratio [OR] = 2.
Article Synopsis
- The study aimed to assess heart health in competitive athletes recovering from COVID-19 by following a set protocol, which included various cardiac tests.
- Conducted on 219 athletes (mostly young adults), the study found good overall exercise capacity, with only 0.9% diagnosed with acute myocarditis and a small proportion (9.5%) showing uncommon premature ventricular contractions.
- The findings suggest that while serious heart complications are rare, monitoring for unusual heart rhythms is necessary in athletes returning to play post-COVID-19.
Article Synopsis
- * A total of 47 athletes were evaluated, with most being asymptomatic; however, 13% had unusual heartbeats (PVCs), and only 6% had newly identified cases after testing.
- * One athlete showed signs of acute myocarditis, underlining the importance of thorough cardiovascular assessments, but the routine use of advanced imaging like CMR seems unnecessary for all post-COVID athletes.