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Castelletti S, Zorzi A, Ballardini E, Basso C, Biffi A, Bracati F, Cavarretta E, Crotti L, Contursi M, D'Aleo A, D'Ascenzi F, Delise P, Dello Russo A, Gazale G, Mos L, Novelli V, Palamà Z, Palermi S, Palmieri V, Patrizi G, Pelliccia A, Pilichou K, Romano S, Sarto P, Schwartz PJ, Tiberi M, Zeppilli P, Corrado D, Sciarra L. Molecular genetic testing in athletes: Why and when a position statement from the Italian society of sports cardiology. Int J Cardiol 2022; 364:169-177. [PMID: 35662561 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijcard.2022.05.071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2022] [Accepted: 05/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Molecular genetic testing is an increasingly available test to support the clinical diagnosis of inherited cardiovascular diseases through identification of pathogenic gene variants and to make a preclinical genetic diagnosis among proband's family members (so-called "cascade family screening"). In athletes, the added value of molecular genetic testing is to assist in discriminating between physiological adaptive changes of the athlete's heart and inherited cardiovascular diseases, in the presence of overlapping phenotypic features such as ECG changes, imaging abnormalities or arrhythmias ("grey zone"). Additional benefits of molecular genetic testing in the athlete include the potential impact on the disease risk stratification and the implications for eligibility to competitive sports. This position statement of the Italian Society of Sports Cardiology aims to guide general sports medical physicians and sports cardiologists on clinical decision as why and when to perform a molecular genetic testing in the athlete, highlighting strengths and weaknesses for each inherited cardiovascular disease at-risk of sudden cardiac death during sport. The importance of early (preclinical) diagnosis to prevent the negative effects of exercise on phenotypic expression, disease progression and worsening of the arrhythmogenic substrate is also addressed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvia Castelletti
- Cardiomyopathy Center and Rehabilitation Unit, Department of Cardiovascular, Neural and Metabolic Sciences, IRCCS Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Milan, Italy
| | - Alessandro Zorzi
- Department of Cardiac, Thoracic and Vascular Sciences and Public Health, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Enrico Ballardini
- Sports Medicine Centre, Gruppo Mantova Salus, Ospedale San Pellegrino, Mantova, Italy
| | - Cristina Basso
- Department of Cardiac, Thoracic and Vascular Sciences and Public Health, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Alessandro Biffi
- Med-Ex, Medicine and Exercise srl, Medical Partner Scuderia Ferrari, Rome, Italy
| | - Francesco Bracati
- Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, University of L'Aquila, Aquila, Italy
| | - Elena Cavarretta
- Department of Medical-Surgical Sciences and Biotechnologies, Sapienza University of Rome, Latina, Italy; Mediterranea Cardiocentro, Naples, Italy
| | - Lia Crotti
- Cardiomyopathy Center and Rehabilitation Unit, Department of Cardiovascular, Neural and Metabolic Sciences, IRCCS Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Milan, Italy; Center for Cardiac Arrhythmias of Genetic Origin, Istituto Auxologico Italiano, IRCCS, Milan, Italy
| | - Maurizio Contursi
- Sports Cardiology Unit, Centro Polidiagnostico Check-up, Salerno, Italy
| | | | - Flavio D'Ascenzi
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Medical Biotechnologies, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | - Pietro Delise
- Division of Cardiology, Hospital of Peschiera del Garda, Veneto, Italy
| | - Antonio Dello Russo
- Cardiology and Arrhythmology Clinic, University Hospital "Lancisi-Umberto I- Salesi", Ancona, Italy, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Public Health, Marche Polytechnic University, Ancona, Italy
| | - Giovanni Gazale
- Center of Sport Medicine and Sports Cardiology, ASL 1, Sassari, Italy
| | - Lucio Mos
- San Antonio Hospital, San Daniele del Friuli, Udine, Italy
| | | | - Zefferino Palamà
- Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, University of L'Aquila, Aquila, Italy; Casa di Cura Villa Verde, Taranto, Italy
| | - Stefano Palermi
- Med-Ex, Medicine and Exercise srl, Medical Partner Scuderia Ferrari, Rome, Italy
| | - Vincenzo Palmieri
- Sports Medicine Unit, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | | | | | - Kalliopi Pilichou
- Department of Cardiac, Thoracic and Vascular Sciences and Public Health, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Silvio Romano
- Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, University of L'Aquila, Aquila, Italy
| | | | - Peter J Schwartz
- Center for Cardiac Arrhythmias of Genetic Origin, Istituto Auxologico Italiano, IRCCS, Milan, Italy
| | - Monica Tiberi
- Department of Public Health, Azienda Sanitaria Unica Regionale Marche AV 1, Pesaro, Italy
| | - Paolo Zeppilli
- Sports Medicine Unit, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Domenico Corrado
- Department of Cardiac, Thoracic and Vascular Sciences and Public Health, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.
| | - Luigi Sciarra
- Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, University of L'Aquila, Aquila, Italy
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