Non-specific myocardial fibrosis in young competitive athletes: clinical significance and risk prediction by a powerful machine learning-based model.

Background: Non-specific myocardial fibrosis (NSMF) is a heterogeneous entity. We aimed to evaluate young athletes with and without NSMF to establish potentially clinically significance.

Methods: We analysed data from 328 young athletes.

Prevalence and Clinical Significance of Electrocardiographic Complete Right Bundle Branch Block in Young Individuals.

Background And Aims: There is limited information on the clinical significance of complete right bundle branch block (CRBBB) in young individuals. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and significance of CRBBB in a large cohort of young individuals aged 14-35 years old.

Methods: From 2008 to 2018, 104,369 consecutive individuals underwent a cardiovascular assessment with a health questionnaire, electrocardiogram, clinical consultation, and selective echocardiography.

Coronary artery anomalies and the role of echocardiography in pre-participation screening of athletes: a practical guide.

Transthoracic echocardiography is an essential and widely available diagnostic tool for assessing individuals reporting cardiovascular symptoms, monitoring those with established cardiac conditions and for preparticipation screening of athletes. While its use is well-defined in hospital and clinic settings, echocardiography is increasingly being utilised in the community, including in the rapidly expanding sub-speciality of sports cardiology. There is, however, a knowledge and practical gap in the challenging area of the assessment of coronary artery anomalies, which is an important cause of sudden cardiac death, often in asymptomatic athletic individuals.

An Athlete With Bicuspid Aortic Valve Regurgitation and Left Ventricular Dilatation: A Clinical Conundrum.

The physiologic cardiac adaptations caused by intensive exercise and the pathophysiologic changes caused by significant regurgitant valvular lesions can be challenging to differentiate. We describe the clinical course of an asymptomatic 31-year-old elite triathlete with a moderately regurgitant bicuspid aortic valve and severe left ventricular and aortic dilatation. ().

Prevalence and diagnostic significance of de-novo 12-lead ECG changes after COVID-19 infection in elite soccer players.

Background And Aim: The efficacy of pre-COVID-19 and post-COVID-19 infection 12-lead ECGs for identifying athletes with myopericarditis has never been reported. We aimed to assess the prevalence and significance of de-novo ECG changes following COVID-19 infection.

Methods: In this multicentre observational study, between March 2020 and May 2022, we evaluated consecutive athletes with COVID-19 infection.

Results of a nationally implemented cardiac screening programme in elite cricket players in England and Wales.

Objectives: We assessed the diagnostic yield and costs of an electrocardiogram-based national screening programme in elite cricket players and the incremental value of transthoracic echocardiography and periodic evaluation.

Design: Cross-sectional study.

Methods: Between 2008 and 2019, 1208 cricketers underwent screening with a health questionnaire, 12-lead electrocardiogram and cardiology consultation.

Biventricular Myocardial Fibrosis and Sudden Death in Patients With Brugada Syndrome.

Background: Electrophysiological, imaging, and pathological studies have reported the presence of subtle structural abnormalities in hearts from patients with Brugada syndrome (BrS). However, data concerning disease involvement outside of the right ventricular outflow tract are limited.

Objectives: This study sought to characterize the presence and distribution of ventricular myocardial fibrosis in a cohort of decedents experiencing sudden cardiac death caused by BrS.

Cardiac evaluation of young athletes: Time for a risk-based approach?

Pre-participation cardiovascular screening (PPCS) is recommended by several scientific and sporting organizations on the premise that early detection of cardiac disease provides a platform for individualized risk assessment and management; which has been proven to lower mortality rates for certain conditions associated with sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) and sudden cardiac death (SCD). What constitutes the most effective strategy for PPCS of young athletes remains a topic of considerable debate. The addition of the electrocardiogram (ECG) to the medical history and physical examination undoubtedly enhances early detection of disease, which meets the primary objective of PPCS.

Cardiac Screening of Young Athletes: a Practical Approach to Sudden Cardiac Death Prevention.

Purpose Of Review: We aim to report on the current status of cardiovascular screening of athletes worldwide and review the up-to-date evidence for its efficacy in reducing sudden cardiac death in young athletes.

Recent Findings: A large proportion of sudden cardiac death in young individuals and athletes occurs during rest with sudden arrhythmic death syndrome being recognised as the leading cause. The international recommendations for ECG interpretation have reduced the false-positive ECG rate to 3% and reduced the cost of screening by 25% without compromising the sensitivity to identify serious disease.

Is there a role for a local inpatient CT coronary angiography service in selected patients with acute coronary syndrome? A cohort analysis of inpatient tertiary centre referrals for invasive coronary angiography.

Objective: To conduct a retrospective analysis of inpatients referred for invasive coronary angiography (ICA) at a tertiary centre, with suspected or confirmed acute coronary syndrome (ACS).

Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted at Jersey General Hospital. We evaluated 198 inpatients referred for ICA with suspected or confirmed ACS over a 3-year period.

Pre-participation cardiovascular screening: is community screening using hand-held cardiac ultrasound feasible?

We evaluated the feasibility and costs of utilising hand-held cardiac ultrasound (HHCU) as part of a community-based pre-participation cardiovascular screening programme. Ninety-seven school children were screened using a personal history, a physical examination, a resting 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) and a HHCU. A consultant cardiologist independently reviewed and reported the data.