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Cavarretta E, Sciarra L, Biondi-Zoccai G, Maffessanti F, Nigro A, Sperandii F, Guerra E, Quaranta F, Fossati C, Peruzzi M, Pingitore A, Stasinopoulos DM, Rigby RA, Adorisio R, Saglietto A, Calò L, Frati G, Pigozzi F. Age-Related Electrocardiographic Characteristics of Male Junior Soccer Athletes. Front Cardiovasc Med 2022; 8:784170. [PMID: 35187105 PMCID: PMC8850359 DOI: 10.3389/fcvm.2021.784170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2021] [Accepted: 12/22/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Very limited data exist on normal age-related ECG variations in adolescents and no data have been published regarding the ECG anomalies induced by intensive training, which are relevant in pre-participation screening for sudden cardiac death prevention in the adolescent athletic population. The purpose of this study was to establish normal age-related electrocardiographic measurements (P wave duration, PR interval, QRS duration, QT, and QTc interval) grouped according to 2-year age intervals. Methods A total of 2,151 consecutive healthy adolescent Soccer athletes (trained for a mean of 7.2 ± 1.1 h per week, 100% male Caucasians, mean age 12.4 ± 1.4 years, range 7–18) underwent pre-participation screening, which included ECG and transthoracic echocardiography in a single referral center. Results Their heart rate progressively slowed as age increased (p < 0.001, ranging from 80.8 ± 13.2 to 59.5 ± 10.2 bpm), as expected. The P wave, PR interval, and QRS duration significantly increased in older age classes (p = 0.019, p = 0.001, and p < 0.001, respectively), and after Bonferroni's correction, the difference remained significant in all age classes for QRS duration. The QTc interval diminished progressively with increasing age (p = 0.003) while the QT interval increased progressively (p < 0.001). Conclusions Significant variations in the normal ECG characteristics of young athletes exist between different age groups related to increasing age and training burden, thus, age-specific reference values could be adopted, as already done for echocardiographic measurements, and may help to further discriminate potentially pathologic conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Cavarretta
- Department of Medical-Surgical Sciences and Biotechnologies, Sapienza University of Rome, Latina, Italy
- Mediterranea Cardiocentro, Naples, Italy
- *Correspondence: Elena Cavarretta
| | - Luigi Sciarra
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Public Health, Life and Environment Sciences, L'Aquila University, L'Aquila, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Biondi-Zoccai
- Department of Medical-Surgical Sciences and Biotechnologies, Sapienza University of Rome, Latina, Italy
- Mediterranea Cardiocentro, Naples, Italy
| | | | - Antonia Nigro
- Villa Stuart Sport Clinic, FIFA Medical Centre of Excellence, Rome, Italy
| | - Fabio Sperandii
- Department of Movement, Human and Health Sciences, University of Rome “Foro Italico”, Rome, Italy
| | - Emanuele Guerra
- Department of Movement, Human and Health Sciences, University of Rome “Foro Italico”, Rome, Italy
| | - Federico Quaranta
- Department of Movement, Human and Health Sciences, University of Rome “Foro Italico”, Rome, Italy
| | - Chiara Fossati
- Department of Movement, Human and Health Sciences, University of Rome “Foro Italico”, Rome, Italy
| | - Mariangela Peruzzi
- Department of Medical-Surgical Sciences and Biotechnologies, Sapienza University of Rome, Latina, Italy
- Mediterranea Cardiocentro, Naples, Italy
| | - Annachiara Pingitore
- Department of Medical-Surgical Sciences and Biotechnologies, Sapienza University of Rome, Latina, Italy
| | | | | | - Rachele Adorisio
- Department of Pediatric Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Andrea Saglietto
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Medical Sciences, “Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino” Hospital, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Leonardo Calò
- Division of Cardiology, Policlinico Casilino, Rome, Italy
| | - Giacomo Frati
- Department of Medical-Surgical Sciences and Biotechnologies, Sapienza University of Rome, Latina, Italy
- IRCCS Neuromed, Pozzilli, Italy
| | - Fabio Pigozzi
- Department of Movement, Human and Health Sciences, University of Rome “Foro Italico”, Rome, Italy
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