Routine EKG Screenings May Save Athletes’ Lives New study reveals abnormalities identified by EKGs not detected by history and physicals FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Ann-Marie White
Heart Rhythm Society
(202) 464-3476
awhite@hrsonline.org
Lucy McDonald: (202) 306-3456
Heart Rhythm 2009 Press Room: (617) 954-3399 (number effective May 13-16, 2009)
BOSTON, May 13, 2009 – Electrocardiography (EKG)-based screenings among elite collegiate athletes find potentially important pathology that is not detected by history and physical examinations alone, according to a new study released today at Heart Rhythm 2009, the Heart Rhythm Society’s 30th Annual Scientific Sessions. This is the first study to evaluate the costs and yield of routine EKG screenings in a large group of high-level performing college athletes.
The study was conducted as a joint venture between the Athletics Department and the Division of Cardiology and Internal Medicine at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville. The research group included Srijoy Mahapatra, MD; Jason West, MD; Dilaawar Mistry, MD; John MacKnight, MD; Ethan Saliba, PhD ATC; J. Paul Mounsey, MD; and Rohit Malhotra, MD. Participants included 1,197 competitive incoming athletes from 2005 to 2008. Each athlete had a standard 12 lead EKG performed as part of their routine pre-participation history and physical examination, conducted by the university primary care team physicians. The EKGs were first screened by the team physicians and subsequently evaluated by three cardiologists.
“EKG screening remains a controversial issue and it was our intention to conduct a study that would offer further insight on the value of the EKG screening process,” stated lead author Dr. Mahapatra. “EKG screening can find potentially dangerous conditions not found on history and physical, yet EKG screening yields a large number of false positive results.”
EKGs were evaluated using criteria from the European Society of Cardiology. History and physical examinations alone were insufficient to detect cardiac abnormalities. However, pre-participation EKG screening detected significant cardiac problems including:
- 1 catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia — this athlete was disqualified from competitive athletics at the University
- 4 accessory pathways — these athletes were successfully ablated and continued athletic participation without difficulty
Of the total of 1,197 athletes, several athletes were not able to compete temporarily — pending further evaluation, due to EKG changes suggestive of potential cardiac abnormalities including:
- 18 arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy — all had normal MRIs
- 73 hypertrophic cardiomyopathy - all had normal Echocardiograms
“EKG-based screening prior to sports participation can uncover potential indicators of cardiac risks not detected through standard pre-participation medical history and physical examinations alone,” said Dr. Malhotra. “EKG screening can help universities identify potentially life-threatening conditions before athletes take the field.”
Session details:
“The Yield and Cost Pre-participation EKG Screening of Elite Collegiate Athletes” [May 16, 2009, 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m., Exhibit Hall]
About Heart Rhythm 2009
Heart Rhythm 2009 takes place May 13-16 at the Boston Exhibition and Convention Center. The meeting is the most comprehensive educational event on heart rhythm disorders, offering approximately 250 educational opportunities in multiple formats. The world’s most renowned scientists and physicians will present a wide range of heart rhythm topics including cardiac resynchronization therapy, catheter ablation, cardiac pacing and heart failure as well as the latest technology, including state-of-the-art pacemakers and defibrillators.
