A 25-year nationwide pre-participation screening program including 12-lead ECG in Italy reduced mortality among young competitive athletes by approximately 90%.
Does pre-participation screening including 12-lead ECG reduce mortality from sudden cardiac death in young competitive athletes?
A 25-year nationwide pre-participation screening program including 12-lead ECG in Italy was associated with an approximately 90% reduction in mortality among young competitive athletes.
Effect estimate: 90% reduction
In 1982 a nationwide program of pre-participation screening including 12-lead electrocardiography (ECG) was launched in Italy. The aim of this article is to examine whether this 25-year screening program should be considered a valid and advisable public health strategy. The analysis of data coming from the long-running Italian experience indicates that ECG screening has provided adequate sensitivity and specificity for detection of potentially lethal cardiomyopathy or arrhythmias and has led to substantial reduction of mortality of young competitive athletes by approximately 90%. Screening was feasible thanks to the Italian Health System, which is developed in terms of health care and prevention services, and because of the limited costs of cardiovascular evaluation in the setting of a mass program. On the basis of current scientific evidence the implementation of a mass-screening program aimed to prevent athletic-field sudden cardiac death should be at least carefully considered by public health administrators worldwide.
“In this regard, the screening ECG is vital. Consensus documents such as the international criteria of ECG interpretation in athletes and the American Heart Association's 14-point screening questionnaire allow for fewer false positives, especially when used in combination.”
Corrado et al. (Mon,) conducted a review in Sudden cardiac death. Pre-participation screening including 12-lead ECG was evaluated on Mortality (90% reduction). A 25-year nationwide pre-participation screening program including 12-lead ECG in Italy reduced mortality among young competitive athletes by approximately 90%.