Key result
Acute respiratory illness sidelines ~20% of affected athletes for more than a day.
Why the study?
To determine the days until return to sport, frequency of time loss resulting in >1 day lost from training or competition, and symptom duration after acute respiratory illness in athletes.
What is the frequency of time loss and symptom duration after acute respiratory illness in athletes?
Meta-Analysis (n=31,065)
What is the frequency of time loss and symptom duration after acute respiratory illness in athletes?
In athletes with acute respiratory illness, 80% do not lose days from training or competition, and the mean symptom duration is approximately 7 days.
Answers are grounded in this paper and cite their sources.
Most athletes with ARill avoid time loss, supporting prompt return-to-play; extends Level 1 evidence on illness burden in sports.
OBJECTIVE: To determine the days until return to sport (RTS) after acute respiratory illness (ARill), frequency of time loss after ARill resulting in >1 day lost from training/competition, and symptom duration (days) of ARill in athletes. DESIGN: Systematic review and meta-analysis. DATA SOURCES: PubMed, EBSCOhost, Web of Science, January 1990-July 2020. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA: Original research articles published in English on athletes/military recruits (15-65 years) with symptoms/diagnosis of an ARill and reporting any of the following: days until RTS after ARill, frequency (%) of time loss >1 day after ARill or symptom duration (days) of ARill. RESULTS: 767 articles were identified; 54 were included (n=31 065 athletes). 4 studies reported days until RTS (range: 0-8.5 days). Frequency (%) of time loss >1 day after ARill was 20.4% (95% CI 15.3% to 25.4%). The mean symptom duration for all ARill was 7.1 days (95% CI 6.2 to 8.0). Results were similar between subgroups: pathological classification (acute respiratory infection (ARinf) vs undiagnosed ARill), anatomical classification (upper vs general ARill) or diagnostic method of ARinf (symptoms, physical examination, special investigations identifying pathogens). CONCLUSIONS: In 80% of ARill in athletes, no days were lost from training/competition. The mean duration of ARill symptoms in athletes was 7 days. Outcomes were not influenced by pathological or anatomical classification of ARill, or in ARinf diagnosed by various methods. Current data are limited, and future studies with standardised approaches to definitions, diagnostic methods and classifications of ARill are needed to obtain detailed clinical, laboratory and specific pathogen data to inform RTS. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42020160479.
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Snyders et al. (2021) conducted a meta-analysis in Acute respiratory illness (n=31,065). Acute respiratory illness was evaluated on Frequency of time loss >1 day after ARill (95% CI 15.3% to 25.4%). Acute respiratory illness in athletes resulted in >1 day of time loss from training or competition in 20.4% of cases, with a mean symptom duration of 7.1 days.
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