Protected return following testing optimistic

Lengthy-term cardiac follow-up of athletes contaminated with SARS-CoV-2 after resumption of elite-level sports activities

van Hattum JC, Daems JJN, Verwijs SM, Wismans LV, van Diepen MA, Groenink M, Boekholdt SM, Planken RN, van Randen A, Hirsch A, Moen MH, Pinto YM, Wilde AAM, Jørstad HT. Coronary heart. 2023 Sep 7:heartjnl-2023-323058. doi: 10.1136/heartjnl-2023-323058. Epub forward of print. PMID: 37678891.

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Take-Residence Message

Elite-level athletes with a historical past of COVID-19 had cardiac measurements just like unexposed elite athletes. Therefore, return to sports activities participation is protected for athletes following COVID-19.

Background

The COVID-19 pandemic created an unprecedented occasion that also dramatically impacts sports activities in any respect ranges. Whereas some investigators have urged that SARS-CoV-2 an infection is related to myocarditis, we lack an entire understanding of SARS-CoV-2’s influence on cardiac abnormalities amongst athletes.

Research Aim

The researchers used a potential cohort research to guage if SARS-CoV-2 an infection might hurt cardiac perform and anatomy amongst elite-level athletes.

Strategies

A complete of 259 elite athletes participated within the Analysis of Lifetime participation in Intensive Prime-level sports activities and Train (ELITE) cohort. All included athletes had been at the least 16 years of age, exercised greater than 10 hours per week, and underwent periodic cardiovascular screenings. Of the 259 athletes included, 123 athletes had confirmed SARS-CoV-2 an infection. These with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 an infection underwent extra cardiovascular testing, together with ECG, metabolic laboratory evaluation, and cardiovascular MRI. This evaluation was repeated at 3, 6, and 9 months post-infection. The athletes with out an an infection provided information from earlier than the pandemic or had self-reported no an infection, which investigators confirmed with blood exams for antibodies.

Outcomes

The authors discovered no variations between elite athletes with or with out publicity in cardiac perform or ventricular quantity.

Viewpoints

Whereas there was concern about myocarditis amongst folks uncovered to SARS-CoV-2, the present research means that, at the least within the mid-term, an an infection doesn’t relate to lingering considerations relating to cardiac perform or anatomy. Nonetheless, extra analysis ought to proceed to look at how SARS-CoV-2 might influence cardiac perform as a result of it stays unclear if we are able to safely apply these findings to non-elite athletes.

Scientific Implications

Clinicians ought to advise sufferers that amongst elite athletes, it seems protected, at the least within the mid-term, to return to sport from a cardiac perspective. It could profit sufferers who’re non-elite athletes to debate that these findings might not apply to them. Therefore, clinicians ought to observe acceptable return-to-participation pointers and monitor the literature.

Questions for Dialogue

Earlier than this research, what had been your return-to-participation practices following SARS-CoV-2 an infection? What different concerns would you wish to see from future analysis relating to SARS-CoV-2?