ECG evaluation in 11 949 Italian teenagers: results of screening in secondary school.

AIM: There is lack of evidence regarding the screening role of ECG for sudden cardiac death (SCD) prevention. Our aim was to evaluate the prevalence of ECG abnormalities among teenagers according to sport participation and competitive status. METHODS: Eleven thousand nine hundred and forty-nine Italian pupils from 179 secondary schools (13-19 years) were consecutively enrolled. ECG abnormalities were divided into minor and major. Medical history, clinical examination and sport activity information were acquired. Further evaluations were suggested in case of major ECG abnormalities. Follow-up was performed at 2 years. RESULTS: N = 1945 (16%) pupils had ECG abnormalities. Major ECG abnormalities were detected in 13% of the cohort, minor in 34%. ECG abnormalities were more common in nonathletes compared with athletes. A diagnosis of cardiac disease was reached in 25 (1.6%) of the pupils with major ECG abnormalities. CONCLUSION: ECG abnormalities are common among young populations and more prevalent in nonathletes. Among pupils with major ECG abnormalities 1.6% had a cardiac disease diagnosis. Our results are in line with the data supporting ECG screening in the general young population.

Reduction in heart failure hospitalization rate during coronavirus disease 19 pandemic outbreak.

AIMS: The recent coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) pandemic outbreak forced the adoption of restraint measures, which modified the hospital admission patterns for several diseases. The aim of the study is to investigate the rate of hospital admissions for heart failure (HF) during the early days of the COVID-19 outbreak in Italy, compared with a corresponding period during the previous year and an earlier period during the same year. METHODS AND RESULTS: We performed a retrospective analysis on HF admissions number at eight hospitals in Italy throughout the study period (21 February to 31 March 2020), compared with an inter-year period (21 February to 31 March 2019) and an intra-year period (1 January to 20 February 2020). The primary outcome was the overall rate of hospital admissions for HF. A total of 505 HF patients were included in this survey: 112 during the case period, 201 during intra-year period, and 192 during inter-year period. The mean admission rate during the case period was 2.80 admissions per day, significantly lower compared with intra-year period (3.94 admissions per day; incidence rate ratio, 0.71; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.56-0.89; P = 0.0037), or with inter-year (4.92 admissions per day; incidence rate ratio, 0.57; 95% confidence interval, 0.45-0.72; P < 0.001). Patients admitted during study period were less frequently admitted in New York Heart Association (NYHA) Class II compared with inter-year period (P = 0.019). At covariance analysis NYHA class was significantly lower in patients admitted during inter-year control period, compared with patients admitted during case period (P = 0.014). CONCLUSIONS: Admissions for HF were significantly reduced during the lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Italy.