Toxicology Screening in Sports-Related Sudden Cardiac Death: A Multinational Observational Study.

BACKGROUND: Knowledge of toxicological findings among sports-related sudden cardiac death (SrSCD) is scarce. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to describe postmortem toxicology findings in a multinational cohort of young SrSCD. METHODS: Patients with sudden cardiac death (SCD) aged 12 to 49 years with a complete post mortem were included from Denmark, Spain, and Australia. Postmortem findings were compared between SrSCD and non-SrSCD, and toxicology findings in SrSCD were assessed. RESULTS: We included 3,189 SCD, of which 219 (7%) were sports-related. SrSCD patients were younger (36 years vs 41 years; P < 0.001) and of male predominance (96% vs 75%; P < 0.001), and their death was more often caused by structural cardiac disease (68% vs 61%; P = 0.038). Positive toxicology screenings were significantly less likely among SrSCD than non-SrSCD (12% vs 43%; P < 0.001), corresponding to 82% lower odds of a positive toxicology screening in SrSCD. Patient characteristics were similar between SrSCDs with positive and negative toxicology screenings, but deaths were more often unexplained (59% vs 34%). Nonopioid analgesics were the most common finding (3%), and SCD-associated drugs were detected in 6% of SrSCD. SUD was more prevalent among the SrSCD with positive toxicology (59% vs 34%). CONCLUSIONS: Sports-related SCD mainly occurred in younger men with structural heart disease. They had a significantly lower prevalence of a positive toxicology screening compared with non-SrSCD, and detection of SCD-associated drugs was rare.

The effect of metformin on glucose homeostasis during moderate exercise.

OBJECTIVE: We investigated the role of metformin on glucose kinetics during moderate exercise. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Before, during, and after a 45-min bout of exercise at 60% VO2max, glucose kinetics were determined by isotope tracer technique in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus with metformin treatment (DM2+Met) or without metformin treatment (DM2) and in healthy control subjects (CON) matched for BMI and age. Glucoregulatory hormones and metabolites were measured throughout the study. RESULTS: Plasma glucose concentration was unchanged during exercise in CON but decreased in DM2. No significant change was found in DM2+Met. Hormones and metabolites showed no differences among the groups except for elevated exercise-induced concentrations of lactate in DM2 (area under the curve [AUC] 31 ± 1% vs. CON) and glucagon in DM2 (AUC 5 ± 1% vs. DM2+Met). Free fatty acid levels were lower in DM2+Met than in DM2 (AUC -14 ± 1%). Absolute values of the baseline glucose rate of appearance (Ra) were elevated in DM2 and DM2+Met, but the increase in glucose Ra relative to baseline was blunted in DM2 (19 ± 1%) and DM2+Met (18 ± 4%) compared with CON (46 ± 4%). Glucose rate of disappearance relative to baseline increased more in CON (31 ± 3%) than in DM2 (6 ± 1%) and DM2+Met (21 ± 2%), showing a small increase caused by metformin. Glucose metabolic clearance rate relative to baseline was similar during exercise in DM2 (33 ± 1%) and CON (35 ± 3%) but was improved in DM2+Met (37 ± 3%) compared with DM2. CONCLUSIONS: Metformin has a positive effect on glucose homeostasis during exercise.