Cardiovascular involvement among collegiate athletes following COVID-19 infection

BACKGROUND: Recent studies suggest that the prevalence of cardiac involvement in young competitive athletes with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection appears to be low. AIM: This study aimed to determine the prevalence of cardiovascular involvement in young competitive athletes. METHODS: In this single-center retrospective cohort study from one Division I university; we assessed the prevalence of cardiovascular involvement among collegiate athletes who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 by polymerase chain reaction testing. Data were collected from June 25, 2020, to May 15, 2021. The primary outcome was the prevalence of cardiac involvement based on a comparison of pre- and post-infection electrocardiogram (ECGs). The secondary outcome was to evaluate for any association between ethnicity and the presence or absence of symptoms. RESULTS: Among 99 athletes who tested positive for the SARS-CoV-2 virus (mean age 19.9 years [standard deviation 1.7 years]; 31% female), baseline ECG changes suggestive of cardiovascular involvement post-infection were detected in two athletes (2/99; 2%). There was a statistically significant association between ethnicity and the presence or absence of symptoms, χ(2) (3, n = 99) = 10.61, P = 0.01. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of cardiovascular involvement among collegiate athletes following SARS-CoV-2 infection in this cohort is low. Afro-American and Caucasian athletes are more likely to experience symptoms following SARS-CoV-2 infection in comparison to Hispanic and Pacific Islander athletes; however, there is no association between ethnicity and symptom severity. RELEVANCE FOR PATIENTS: These data add to the growing body of the literature and agree with larger cohorts that the risk of cardiac involvement post-infection appears to be low among elite athletic and semi-professional athletic populations.