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 - Publisher Copyright: © 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

U2 - 10.1080/20018525.2022.2149919

DO - 10.1080/20018525.2022.2149919

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 36518348

AN - SCOPUS:85146804677

VL - 10

JO - European Clinical Respiratory Journal

JF - European Clinical Respiratory Journal

SN - 2001-8525

IS - 1

M1 - 2149919

ER -