Article Impact Level: HIGH Data Quality: STRONG Summary of Circulation, 145(22), 1690–1692. https://doi.org/10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.121.058272 Dr. Aaron Baggish et al
Points
- The study was conducted to explore the cardiovascular problems due to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) with a follow-up of 1 year in collegiate athletes.
- The result of the study indicated that the incidence of probable or definite cardiac problems (0.6%) due to SARS-CoV-2 is low, and the results are consistent with previous results.
- Proper exercise reduces the risk of developing cardiovascular problems and also helps to return to the normal routine if any problem develops.
Summary
The study was conducted to explore the cardiovascular problems due to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) with a follow-up of 1 year in collegiate athletes. For this purpose, an observational, prospective, and cohort research design was designed. Data was collected from Outcomes Registry for Cardiac Conditions in Athletes (ORCCA) from 1st Sep 2020 to 1st Nov 2021 with 1-year proper follow-up from participating institutions. For the sample, 3675 athletes from 45 different colleges and universities were included in the study who have proper onset of symptoms or a positive test report of SARS-CoV-2 with a cardiovascular problem like arrhythmias, sudden cardiac arrest, clinical heart failure, or death. The mean with standard deviation and median was calculated using statistical software R.
The result of the study indicated that the incidence of probable or definite cardiac problems (0.6%) due to SARS-CoV-2 is low, and the results are consistent with previous results. All the athletes with cardiac problems due to SARS-CoV-2 were back to their sports after basic exercises and following management guidelines. There was a single severe cardiovascular case of atrial fibrillation due to SARS-CoV-2, but there was no life-threatening case of sudden cardiac arrest, arrhythmias, or heart failure.
This study helps make new recommendations related to return-to-play activities and creates awareness related to cardiac problems due to SARS-CoV-2. Many registries related to this have since been published. This study also indicated that cardiac problems due to SARS-CoV-2 in athletes who perform their normal exercises and workups are low compared to those who were temporarily restricted from routine exercises.
Therefore, cardiac magnetic resonance imaging is recommended for athletes who have clinical syndrome with myocarditis and 1 or more than 1 abnormal result of the cardiovascular test (e.g., troponin, ventricular arrhythmias on a monitor, TTE, stress test, or ECG) and those having SARS-CoV-2 should follow restrict exercise routine according to proper guidelines. Further studies are also recommended for reassuring results and making more defined recommendations.
Link to the article: https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.121.058272
References Petek, B. J., Moulson, N., Drezner, J. A., Harmon, K. G., Kliethermes, S. A., Churchill, T. W., Patel, M. R., Baggish, A. L., Asif, I. M., Baggish, A. L., Borchers, J., Drezner, J. A., Edenfield, K. M., Emery, M. S., Goerl, K., Hainline, B., Harmon, K. G., Jone, P.-N., Kim, J. H., … Zorn, S. T. (2022). Cardiovascular outcomes in collegiate athletes after sars-cov-2 infection: 1-year follow-up from the outcomes registry for cardiac conditions in athletes. Circulation, 145(22), 1690–1692. https://doi.org/10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.121.058272
