Application of the Seattle criteria in the electrocardiographic assessment in federated athletes.

FENOGLIO, M.S.; FENOGLIO, D.

Rio de Janeiro

Congreso; 35th FIMS World Congress of Sports Medicine; 2018

Introduction and Purpose: The assessment of the electrocardiogram (ECG) in athletes remains controversial, with lack of standardization and difficulty in applyingspecific criteria in its interpretation. The main purpose of pre-competitive screening of athletes is to enable early (pre-clinical) identification of pathological conditionsassociated with increased risk of serious clinical events, including sudden death. The majority of disorders associated with an increased risk of sudden cardiac death (SCD)are suggested or identified by abnormalities on a resting 12-lead ECG. Whether used for the evaluation of cardiovascular-related symptoms, a family history of inheritablecardiac disease orpremature SCD, or for screening of asymptomatic athletes, ECG interpretation is anessential skill for all physicians involved in the cardiovascular care ofathletes.The purpose of this study was to assess variability in the interpretation of the ECG in athletesMaterial and Methods: The ECGs of 480 federated athletes were assessed, prospectively according to Seattle Criteria and the training in their reading provided by theBritish Journal of Sport Medicine. The study was performed from January 1st to May 31st 2018 in Morteros city (Córdoba province-Argentina) and was part of the medicalexamination of medium and high competence (EMMAC), mandatory by law since 2010.Results: The average age ofathletes was of 16.51 years old (se = 0.40, min = 7, max = 64, N = 480). The most frequent sport practiced by athletes was soccer (71% of thecases) followed by basketball (14%) and volleyball (11%). The rest of the sports (eg. swimming, tennis, gymnastics) were scarcely represented (