Key result
Black ethnicity in professional football players is linked to ~9-fold higher anterior T-wave inversion prevalence.
Why the study?
Anterior T-wave inversion confined to V1-V4 preceded by convex ST elevation is considered normal in Black athletes, but its prevalence and significance in professional Black and non-Black UK football players remained to be assessed.
Does the prevalence and clinical significance of anterior T-wave inversion differ between black and non-black professional football players?
Population
11,595 professional football players in the UK
Comparison
Black vs non-black ethnicity
Design
Observational cross-sectional study
Authors
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ATWI is more prevalent yet rarely linked to major pathology in black football players; leaves open whether ethnicity-specific ECG criteria warrant prospective validation.
Cross-Sectional (n=11,595)
Yes
Does the prevalence and clinical significance of anterior T-wave inversion differ between black and non-black professional football players?
Absolute Event Rate: 11.3% vs 1.3%
p-value: p=<0.001
Anterior T-wave inversion is nearly nine times more frequent in black professional football players compared to non-black players, and its presence in non-black athletes warrants further investigation due to the risk of underlying cardiomyopathy.
Yamagata et al. (2026) conducted a cross-sectional in Anterior T-wave inversion (n=11,595). Black ethnicity vs. Non-black ethnicity was evaluated on Prevalence of anterior T-wave inversion (ATWI) (p=<0.001). Black ethnicity in professional football players was associated with a significantly higher prevalence of anterior T-wave inversion compared to non-black players (11.3% vs 1.3%; p<0.001).
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