The new Seattle Criteria reduce the prevalence of abnormal ECG findings in professional football players

Abstract

Purpose: To compare the new "Seattle Criteria" for ECG interpretation in athletes, with former recommendations from ESC. Methods: In 2008, 574 professional football players (mean age 25, range 18-38 years) in Norway underwent preparticipation ECG-screening (CARDIOLINE, RealClick version 3.5.4., Milan, Italy). ECGs were read manually by one investigator, measuring the global QRST complex with calipers. Analyzes were performed according to the definitions of Corrado et al. 2010, as "updated" by Uberoi et al. 2011, and the new "Seattle criteria" by Drezner et al. 2013, and the results were compared. Results: Main differences are presented in Table 1. Altogether 111 (19%) players had abnormal ECG-findings according to the "Seattle Criteria", compared to 292 (51%) applying the former ESC recommendations (p<0.001). Table 1. Main differences in normal and abnormal ECG findings between ESC versus "Seattle criteria" in interpreting athletes' ECG *Except in Africans. NA, not applicable; TWI, T-wave inversion. Conclusions: The significant reduction of 32% abnormal ECG-findings applying the new "Seattle Criteria" versus the ESC's recommendations will probably reduce the need and costs of extended examinations after preparticipation ECG-screening of athletes.