Cardiac sequelae in athletes following COVID-19 vaccination: evidence and misinformation.

The recognition of myocarditis as a rare side effect of SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccination has sparked a global debate on vaccine safety, especially in the realm of sports. The main proposed mechanisms in the pathogenesis of COVID-19 mRNA vaccination-associated myocarditis (C-VAM) are based on the activation of the innate- and adaptive immune system against a susceptible immune-genetic background, including the recognition of mRNA as an antigen by the immune system, molecular mimicry between SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein and cardiac tissue antigens and inflammatory sex-hormone signalling. The relatively younger age of the athlete population hypothetically constellates an increased risk of C-VAM. A subgroup analysis in individuals under 40 years revealed a low incidence of myocarditis following COVID-19 mRNA vaccination when compared to positive SARS-CoV-2 tests. No confirmed cases of athletes experiencing cardiac complications after mRNA vaccination have been reported. Most athletes only reported mild side effects after COVID-19 vaccination. A small but statistically significant decrease in maximal oxygen consumption in recreational athletes occurred after BNT162b2 mRNA booster vaccine administration. The clinical relevance and temporality of which remain to be determined. Many speculative social media reports attribute sudden cardiac arrest/death (SCA/D) in athletes to mRNA vaccination. Large media outlets have thoroughly debunked these claims. There is currently no evidence to support the claim that COVID-19 mRNA vaccination increases the risk of myocardial sequelae or SCA/D in athletes. However, specific vaccine regimen selection and timing may be appropriate to prevent detrimental performance effects.

Beneficial Effects of Cardiomyopathy-Associated Genetic Variants on Physical Performance: A Hypothesis-Generating Scoping Review.

BACKGROUND: Genetic variants associated with cardiomyopathies (CMPs) are prevalent in the general population. In young athletes, CMPs account for roughly a quarter of sudden cardiac death, with further unexplained clustering in specific sports. Consequently, most CMPs form a contraindication for competitive sports. We hypothesized that genetic variants might (paradoxically) improve physical performance early in life while impairing cardiac function later in life. METHODS: Systematic PubMed search was done to investigate whether genetic variants in genes associated with CMPs could be related to beneficial performance phenotypes. SUMMARY: In a limited number of studies (n = 6), 2,860 individuals/subjects with genetic variants were able to outperform those without said variants, as measured by running speed (∼38 m/min in heterozygous [HET] mice, n = 6, vs. ∼32 m/min in wild type [WT] mice, n = 7, p = 0.004) and distance (966 ± 169 km HET mice vs. 561 ± 144 km WT mice, p = 0.0035, n = 10), elite athlete status in endurance athletes (n = 1,672, p = 1.43 × 10-8), maximal oxygen uptake in elite athletes (absolute difference not provided, n = 32, p = 0.005), maximal oxygen uptake in unrelated individuals (n = 473, p = 0.0025), personal records in highly trained marathon runners (2:26:28 ± 0:06:23 min HET, n = 32, vs. 2:28:53 ± 0:05:50 min without polymorphism, n = 108, p = 0.020), and peripheral muscle force contraction in patients following a cardiac rehabilitation program (absolute values not provided, n = 260). Key Message: Beneficial effects in genetic variants associated with CMPs could hypothetically play a role in the selection of young athletes, consequently explaining the prevalence of such genetic variants in athletes and the general population.

Long-term cardiac follow-up of athletes infected with SARS-CoV-2 after resumption of elite-level sports.

OBJECTIVE: Longitudinal consequences and potential interactions of COVID-19 and elite-level sports and exercise are unclear. Therefore, we determined the long-term detrimental cardiac effects of the interaction between SARS-CoV-2 infection and the highest level of sports and exercise. METHODS: This prospective controlled study included elite athletes from the Evaluation of Lifetime participation in Intensive Top-level sports and Exercise cohort. Athletes infected with SARS-CoV-2were offered structured, additional cardiovascular screenings, including cardiovascular MRI (CMR). We compared ventricular volumes and function, late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) and T1 relaxation times, between infected and non-infected elite athletes, and collected follow-up data on cardiac adverse events, ventricular arrhythmia burden and the cessation of sports careers. RESULTS: We included 259 elite athletes (mean age 26±5 years; 40% women), of whom 123 were infected (9% cardiovascular symptoms) and 136 were controls. We found no differences in function and volumetric CMR parameters. Four infected athletes (3%) demonstrated LGE (one reversible), compared with none of the controls. During the 26.7 (±5.8) months follow-up, all four athletes resumed elite-level sports, without an increase in ventricular arrhythmias or adverse cardiac remodelling. None of the infected athletes reported new cardiac symptoms or events. The majority (n=118; 96%) still participated in elite-level sports; no sports careers were terminated due to SARS-CoV-2. CONCLUSIONS: This prospective study demonstrates the safety of resuming elite-level sports after SARS-CoV-2 infection. The medium-term risks associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection and elite-level sports appear low, as the resumption of elite sports did not lead to detrimental cardiac effects or increases in clinical events, even in the four elite athletes with SARS-CoV-2 associated myocardial involvement.

ELITE: rationale and design of a longitudinal elite athlete, extreme cardiovascular phenotyping, prospective cohort study.

Introduction: The cardiovascular benefits of physical exercise are well-known. However, vigorous exercise has also been associated with adverse cardiac effects. To improve our understanding of cardiovascular adaptation to exercise versus maladaptation and pathology, the limits of adaptation should be firmly established using state-of-the-art diagnostic modalities. We therefore initiated the Evaluation of Lifetime participation in Intensive Top-level sports and Exercise (ELITE) cohort to investigate the longitudinal (beneficial and pathological) cardiovascular effects of intensive elite sports and exercise. Methods and analysis: ELITE is a prospective, multicentre, longitudinal cohort study. Elite athletes, from the age of sixteen, are recruited in The Netherlands. The primary objective is to determine the association between elite sports and exercise-induced cardiac remodelling, cardiac pathology, and health benefits over time. Secondary objectives include determining and identifying genetic profiles of elite athletes, and how these are associated with cardiac indices. ELITE will collect data from consultations, electrocardiography, echocardiography and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging, and training- and injury data. ELITE will also collect blood for biobanking and cardiogenetics. Follow-up will take place at intervals of two to five years, and after the elite athletes' professional careers have ended. In addition, a subcohort of ELITE has been established to investigate cardiac sequelae following infections associated with myocardial involvement, including SARS-CoV-2. ELITE is a prospective observational study; therefore, analyses will be primarily explorative. Ethics and dissemination: This study has been approved by the Medical Ethics Review Board of the Amsterdam University Medical Centers (NL71682.018.19). The results of the study will be disseminated by publication in peer-reviewed journals (Netherlands Trial Register number: NL9328).

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. Athletes exhibiting de-novo ECG changes underwent cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) scans. One club mandated CMR scans for all players (n=30) following COVID-19 infection, despite the absence of cardiac symptoms or de-novo ECG changes. RESULTS: 511 soccer players (median age 21 years, IQR 18-26 years) were included. 17 (3%) athletes demonstrated de-novo ECG changes, which included reduction in T-wave amplitude in the inferior and lateral leads (n=5), inferior leads (n=4) and lateral leads (n=4); inferior T-wave inversion (n=7); and ST-segment depression (n=2). 15 (88%) athletes with de-novo ECG changes revealed evidence of inflammatory cardiac sequelae. All 30 athletes who underwent a mandatory CMR scan had normal findings. Athletes revealing de-novo ECG changes had a higher prevalence of cardiac symptoms (71% vs 12%, p<0.0001) and longer median symptom duration (5 days, IQR 3-10) compared with athletes without de-novo ECG changes (2 days, IQR 1-3, p<0.001). Among athletes without cardiac symptoms, the additional yield of de-novo ECG changes to detect cardiac inflammation was 20%. CONCLUSIONS: 3% of athletes demonstrated de-novo ECG changes post COVID-19 infection, of which 88% were diagnosed with cardiac inflammation. Most affected athletes exhibited cardiac symptoms; however, de-novo ECG changes contributed to a diagnosis of cardiac inflammation in 20% of athletes without cardiac symptoms.

Case report: the role of multimodal imaging to optimize the timing of return to sports in an elite athlete with persistent COVID-19 myocardial inflammation.

Background: COVID-19 has been associated with myocardial abnormalities on cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR). We report a case of COVID-19 myocarditis in an elite athlete. Case summary: A male, 21-year-old elite football player had tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 on a polymerase-chain-reaction test and was referred for cardiac evaluation after experiencing palpitations after returning to sports (RTS). Biochemical evaluation demonstrated elevated N-terminal pro b-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) and high-sensitive Troponin T. Echocardiography demonstrated left ventricular function within normal ranges for athletes but with diminished basal, posterolateral, and septal strain. Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) showed increased T1 values and late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) in the basolateral and mid-ventricular posterior segments. Focal COVID-19 myocarditis was diagnosed and the patient remained restricted from sports, in line with the 2020 ESC sports cardiology guidelines. Two months later, his electrocardiogram (ECG) showed inferoposterolateral T-wave inversion (TWI). Serial imaging studies were performed to optimize RTS timing. Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging showed persistently increased T1/T2 values and persistent LGE at 5 and 7 months. At 9 months, 18 F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG)-positron emission tomography (PET)-computerized tomography (CT) demonstrated no pathologically increased cardiac FDG-uptake. Subsequent exercise ECG and Holters demonstrated no complex ventricular arrhythmias. The patient made a complete return to elite competitive sports, without any adverse events at 15 months of follow-up. Discussion: Cardiac symptoms in athletes post-COVID-19 should prompt cardiac evaluation. As COVID-19 myocarditis inflammation can persist beyond the 3-6 months of recommended sports restriction, a more personalized approach to RTS timing can be warranted. In cases with myocardial oedema without other signs of inflammation, FDG-PET-CT can be of added value to assess active myocardial inflammation.

The Sports Cardiology Team: Personalizing Athlete Care Through a Comprehensive, Multidisciplinary Approach.

Objective: To systematically investigate and document the infrastructure, practices, recommendations, and clinical consequences of a structured, organized sports cardiology multidisciplinary team (MDT) for athletes and patients who wish to engage in sports and exercise. Patients and Methods: We established bimonthly sports cardiology MDT meetings, with a permanent panel of experts in sports cardiology, genetics, pediatric cardiology, cardiovascular imaging, electrophysiology, and sports and exercise medicine. Cases were referred nationally or internationally by cardiologists/sports physicians. We retrospectively analyzed all MDT cases (April 10, 2019 through May 13, 2020) and collected clinical follow-up data up to 1 year after the initial review. Results: A total of 115 athletes underwent MDT review; of them, 11% were women, 65% were recreational athletes, and 54% were performing "mixed" type of sports; the mean age was 32±16 years. An MDT review led to a diagnosis revision of "suspected cardiac pathology" to "no cardiac pathology" in 38% of the athletes and increased the number of definitive diagnoses (from 77 to 109; P=.03). We observed fewer "total sports restrictions" (from 6 to 0; P=.04) and more tailored sports advice concerning "no peak load/specific maximum load" (from 10 to 26; P=.02). At the 14±6-month follow-up, 112 (97%) athletes reported no cardiovascular events, 111 (97%) athletes reported no (new) cardiac symptoms, 113 (98%) athletes reported adherence to the MDT sports advice, and no diagnoses were revised. Conclusion: Our experiences with a comprehensive sports cardiology MDT demonstrate that this approach leads to higher percentages of definitive diagnoses and fewer cardiac pathology diagnoses, more tailored sports advice with excellent rates of adherence, and fewer total sports restrictions. Our findings highlight the added value of sports cardiology MDTs for patient and athlete care.

Cardiac abnormalities in athletes after SARS-CoV-2 infection: a systematic review.

OBJECTIVES: Quantification of pericardial/myocardial involvement and risks of sudden cardiac arrest/sudden cardiac death (SCA/SCD) after SARS-CoV-2 infection in athletes who return to sports. DESIGN: Systematic review on post-SARS-CoV-2 infection pericardial/myocardial manifestations in athletes. DATA SOURCES: Combinations of key terms in Medline, Embase and Scopus (through 2 June 2021). ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR SELECTING STUDIES: Inclusion: athletes, with cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) or echocardiography after recovery from SARS-CoV-2 infection, including arrhythmia outcomes. Exclusion: study population ≥1 individual comorbidity and mean age <18 or >64 years. Quality assessment was performed using Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal tools checklists. RESULTS: In total, 12 manuscripts (1650 papers reviewed) comprising 3131 athletes (2198 college/student athletes, 879 professional athletes and 54 elite athletes) were included. The prevalence of myocarditis on echocardiography and/or CMR was 0%-15%, pericardial effusion 0%-58% and late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) 0%-46%. Weighted means of diagnosed myocarditis were 2.1% in college/student athletes and 0% in elite athletes. The prevalence of LGE was markedly lower in studies with high-quality assessment scores (3%-4%) versus low scores (38%-42%). A single study reported reversibility of myocardial involvement in 40.7%. No important arrhythmias were reported. Ten studies (n=4171) reporting postrecovery troponin T/I found no clear relationship with cardiac abnormalities. SUMMARY/CONCLUSION: Athletes have an overall low risk of SARS-CoV-2 pericardial/myocardial involvement, arrhythmias and SCA/SCD. Rates of pericardial/myocardial abnormalities in athletes are highly variable and dependent on study quality. Troponin screenings seem unreliable to identify athletes at risk for myocardial involvement. Prospective athlete studies, with pre-SARS-CoV-2 imaging (CMR), including structured follow-up and arrhythmia monitoring, are urgently needed.

Efficacy of the RADPAD Protection Drape in Reducing Operators' Radiation Exposure in the Catheterization Laboratory: A Sham-Controlled Randomized Trial.

BACKGROUND: Interventional cardiologists are increasingly exposed to radiation-induced diseases like cataract and the stochastic risk of left-sided brain tumors. The RADPAD is a sterile, disposable, lead-free shield placed on the patient with the aim to minimize operator-received scatter radiation. The objective of the trial was to examine the RADPAD's efficacy in a real-world situation. METHODS AND RESULTS: In the current, double-blind, sham-controlled, all-comer trial, patients undergoing diagnostic catheterization or percutaneous coronary interventions were randomized in a 1:1:1 ratio to a radiation absorbing shield (RADPAD), standard treatment (NOPAD), or a sham shield (SHAMPAD). The sham shield allowed testing for shield-induced radiation behavior. The primary outcome was the difference in relative exposure of the primary operator between the RADPAD and NOPAD arms and was defined as the ratio between operator's exposure (E in µSv) and patient exposure (dose area product in mGy·cm2), measured per procedure. A total of 766 consecutive coronary procedures were randomized to the use of RADPAD (N=255), NOPAD (N=255), or SHAMPAD (N=256). The use of RADPAD was associated with a 20% reduction in relative operator exposure compared with that of NOPAD (P=0.01) and a 44% relative exposure reduction compared with the use of a SHAMPAD (P<0.001). Use of the SHAMPAD was associated with a 43% higher relative radiation exposure than procedures with NOPAD (P=0.009). CONCLUSIONS: In clinical daily practice, the standard use of the RADPAD radiation shield reduced operator radiation exposure compared with procedures with NOPAD or SHAMPAD. This study supports the routine use of RADPAD in the catheterization laboratory. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT03139968.