TY - JOUR
T1 - The COVID-19 in athletes (COVA) study
T2 - a national study on cardio-pulmonary involvement of SARS-CoV-2 infection among elite athletes
AU - Rasmusen, Hanne Kruuse
AU - Aarøe, Mikkel
AU - Madsen, Christoffer Valdorff
AU - Gudmundsdottir, Helga Lillian
AU - Mertz, Kenneth Hudlebusch
AU - Mikkelsen, Astrid Duus
AU - Dall, Christian Have
AU - Brushøj, Christoffer
AU - Andersen, Jesper Løvind
AU - Vall-Lamora, Maria Helena Dominguez
AU - Bovin, Ann
AU - Magnusson, S Peter
AU - Thune, Jens Jakob
AU - Pecini, Redi
AU - Pedersen, Lars
N1 - © 2022 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.
PY - 2023
Y1 - 2023
N2 - BACKGROUND: COVID-19 can cause cardiopulmonary involvement. Physical activity and cardiac complications can worsen prognosis, while pulmonary complications can reduce performance.AIMS: To determine the prevalence and clinical implications of SARS-CoV-2 cardiopulmonary involvement in elite athletes.METHODS: An observational study between 1 July 2020 and 30 June 2021 with the assessment of coronary biomarkers, electrocardiogram, echocardiography, Holter-monitoring, spirometry, and chest X-ray in Danish elite athletes showed that PCR-tested positive for SARS-CoV-2. The cohort consisted of male football players screened weekly (cohort I) and elite athletes on an international level only tested if they had symptoms, were near-contact, or participated in international competitions (cohort II). All athletes were categorized into two groups based on symptoms and duration of COVID-19: Group 1 had no cardiopulmonary symptoms and duration ≤7 days, and; Group 2 had cardiopulmonary symptoms or disease duration >7 days.RESULTS: In total 121 athletes who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 were investigated. Cardiac involvement was identified in 2/121 (2%) and pulmonary involvement in 15/121 (12%) participants. In group 1, 87 (72%), no athletes presented with signs of cardiac involvement, and 8 (7%) were diagnosed with radiological COVID-19-related findings or obstructive lung function. In group 2, 34 (28%), two had myocarditis (6%), and 8 (24%) were diagnosed with radiological COVID-19-related findings or obstructive lung function.CONCLUSIONS: These clinically-driven data show no signs of cardiac involvement among athletes who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 infection without cardiopulmonary symptoms and duration <7 days. Athletes with cardiopulmonary symptoms or prolonged duration of COVID-19 display, exercise-limiting cardiopulmonary involvement.
AB - BACKGROUND: COVID-19 can cause cardiopulmonary involvement. Physical activity and cardiac complications can worsen prognosis, while pulmonary complications can reduce performance.AIMS: To determine the prevalence and clinical implications of SARS-CoV-2 cardiopulmonary involvement in elite athletes.METHODS: An observational study between 1 July 2020 and 30 June 2021 with the assessment of coronary biomarkers, electrocardiogram, echocardiography, Holter-monitoring, spirometry, and chest X-ray in Danish elite athletes showed that PCR-tested positive for SARS-CoV-2. The cohort consisted of male football players screened weekly (cohort I) and elite athletes on an international level only tested if they had symptoms, were near-contact, or participated in international competitions (cohort II). All athletes were categorized into two groups based on symptoms and duration of COVID-19: Group 1 had no cardiopulmonary symptoms and duration ≤7 days, and; Group 2 had cardiopulmonary symptoms or disease duration >7 days.RESULTS: In total 121 athletes who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 were investigated. Cardiac involvement was identified in 2/121 (2%) and pulmonary involvement in 15/121 (12%) participants. In group 1, 87 (72%), no athletes presented with signs of cardiac involvement, and 8 (7%) were diagnosed with radiological COVID-19-related findings or obstructive lung function. In group 2, 34 (28%), two had myocarditis (6%), and 8 (24%) were diagnosed with radiological COVID-19-related findings or obstructive lung function.CONCLUSIONS: These clinically-driven data show no signs of cardiac involvement among athletes who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 infection without cardiopulmonary symptoms and duration <7 days. Athletes with cardiopulmonary symptoms or prolonged duration of COVID-19 display, exercise-limiting cardiopulmonary involvement.
KW - Athletes
KW - coronavirus
KW - myocarditis
KW - pulmonary involvement
KW - return-to-sport
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85146804677&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/20018525.2022.2149919
DO - 10.1080/20018525.2022.2149919
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 36518348
SN - 2001-8525
VL - 10
JO - European Clinical Respiratory Journal
JF - European Clinical Respiratory Journal
IS - 1
M1 - 2149919
ER -