Study Shows Heart Issues Resulting From COVID-19 Not as Prevalent in Athletes as Previously Reported
Fewer than one percent of college athletes who tested positive for COVID-19 developed heart-related problems, according to a recent study published in the American Heart Association’s journal, Circulation, on April 17.
The prospective observational study involved 3,018 COVID-positive athletes from 42 colleges or universities across 26 sports. Data on the “prevalence, clinical characteristics, and outcomes of SARS-CoV-2 cardiac involvement” were collected from Sept. 1, 2020 to Dec. 21, 2020.
Most of the athletes (2,820) received at least one of the three screening protocols that consist of an electrocardiogram, an echocardiogram (ultrasound), or a blood test for troponin protein, followed by a cardiac MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) if “clinically indicated.” The rest of the 198 athletes underwent only a cardiac MRI.