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[Cardiac screening in young top athletes: don't do it!]
Michiel L Bots1,2, Arend Mosterd3
1UMC Utrecht, Julius Centrum voor Gezondheidswetenschappen en Eerstelijns Geneeskunde.
Nederlands Tijdschrift Voor Geneeskunde
|February 6, 2019
Summary
Cardiac screening for young soccer players doesn't prevent sudden cardiac death. Focus on improving emergency response, like cardiopulmonary resuscitation, for athletes facing cardiac arrest.
Area of Science:
- Sports Medicine
- Cardiology
- Public Health
Background:
- Sudden cardiac death (SCD) is a concern in young athletes.
- Previous recommendations suggested pre-participation cardiac screening for athletes.
- The effectiveness of screening in preventing SCD in this population requires evaluation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the necessity and effectiveness of cardiac screening in 15-17-year-old soccer players.
- To determine if current screening protocols prevent sudden cardiac death (SCD) in this demographic.
- To propose alternative strategies for athlete cardiac safety.
Main Methods:
- Screening of 15-17-year-old potentially professional soccer players.
- Assessment of the need for further cardiac evaluation post-screening.
- Analysis of outcomes related to sudden cardiac death prevention and quality of life.
Main Results:
- One in 14 players required extensive cardiac evaluation.
- This evaluation was linked to potential morbidity and reduced quality of life.
- No instances of sudden cardiac death were prevented by the screening process.
Conclusions:
- Cardiac screening for 15-17-year-old soccer players is not recommended for SCD prevention.
- Efforts should instead focus on enhancing rapid cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) availability.
- Prioritizing immediate emergency response is more beneficial for athlete cardiac safety.