Echocardiography in the pre-participation screening: an old topic revisited

Abstract

Abstract Funding Acknowledgements Type of funding sources: None. Background Preparticipation screenings (PPs) have been conceived for the potential to prevent sudden cardiac death (SCD) in young athletes by early identification of hidden cardiac diseases. Commonly used protocols include family history collection, physical examination and resting electrocardiogram (ECG). Transthoracic echocardiography has been hypothesized to have a primary role in the PPs. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the additional role of echocardiogram in identifying cardiovascular (CV) abnormalities that might be undetected by commonly used PPS. Methods We retrospectively reviewed Ferrari Formula Benessere, a corporate wellness program - database and analyzed data recorded from 2017 to 2022 to compare two medical models: a "standard" PPS including medical history, physical examination, ECG and exercise stress testing (EST) versus an "advanced" PPS comprising history, physical examination, ECG, EST and echocardiography. Results From an initial sample size of 7500 subjects, we included 500 subjects (420 male, 33.69 ± 7.9 mean aged) enrolled for the first time in the corporate wellness program between 2017 and 2022. 339 (67.8%) subjects had no abnormal findings at "standard" PPS and, even if would have not required further evaluation, performed an echocardiography anyway ("advanced" PPS): 31 (9.1%) showed some abnormal CV findings at echocardiography, such as patent foramen ovalis or bicuspid aortic valve. Conclusions Screening echocardiogram showed an additional value in detect subjects with CV abnormalities, otherwise undiagnosed with "standard" PPS protocol.