Electrocardiography and Preparticipation Screening of Competitive High School Athletes

Letters20 July 2010Electrocardiography and Preparticipation Screening of Competitive High School AthletesJoseph C. Marek, MDJoseph C. Marek, MDFrom Midwest Heart Specialists, Oak Brook Terrace, IL 60181.Author, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-153-2-201007200-00014 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail TO THE EDITOR:I read with interest Maron's recent editorial (1) but take issue with several of his assertions. My arguments are based on my experience with screenings in a multicounty region in suburban Chicago. Since 2006, our program, Young Hearts for Life, has screened more than 45 000 high school students.First, I believe that Maron's efforts to relate the Italian system to the U.S. system are flawed. He contends that the disparity in physician resources between Italy and the United States is dramatic. The absolute number of athletes in the United States is larger than that of Italy, ...References1. Maron BJ. National electrocardiography screening for competitive athletes: feasible in the United States? [Editorial]. Ann Intern Med. 2010;152:324-6. [PMID: 20194239] LinkGoogle Scholar2. Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. OECD Health Data 2009—comparing health statistics across OECD countries. Paris: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development; 2009. Google Scholar3. Maron BJ, Thompson PD, Ackerman MJ, Balady G, Berger S, Cohen D, et al; American Heart Association Council on Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Metabolism. Recommendations and considerations related to preparticipation screening for cardiovascular abnormalities in competitive athletes: 2007 update: a scientific statement from the American Heart Association Council on Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Metabolism: endorsed by the American College of Cardiology Foundation. Circulation. 2007;115:1643-455. [PMID: 17353433] MedlineGoogle Scholar4. Maron BJ, Doerer JJ, Haas TS, Tierney DM, Mueller FO. Sudden deaths in young competitive athletes: analysis of 1866 deaths in the United States, 1980-2006. Circulation. 2009;119:1085-92. [PMID: 19221222] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar5. Pelliccia A, Culasso F, Di Paolo FM, Accettura D, Cantore R, Castagna W, et al. Prevalence of abnormal electrocardiograms in a large, unselected population undergoing pre-participation cardiovascular screening. Eur Heart J. 2007;28:2006-10. [PMID: 17623682] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar6. Nora M, Zimmerman F, Ow, P, Fenner P, Marek J. Preliminary findings of ECG screening in 9,125 young adults. Circulation. 2007;116:845. [Abstract] Google Scholar7. Atkins DL, Everson-Stewart S, Sears GK, Daya M, Osmond MH, Warden CR, et al; Resuscitation Outcomes Consortium Investigators. Epidemiology and outcomes from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in children: the Resuscitation Outcomes Consortium Epistry-Cardiac Arrest. Circulation. 2009;119:1484-91. [PMID: 19273724] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAffiliations: From Midwest Heart Specialists, Oak Brook Terrace, IL 60181.Disclosures: Dr. Marek is affiliated with the Young Hearts for Life screening program for high school students. Young Hearts for Life is a 501(c)(3) public charity from which Dr. Marek receives no financial compensation. PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsSee AlsoNational Electrocardiography Screening for Competitive Athletes: Feasible in the United States? Barry J. Maron Electrocardiography and Preparticipation Screening of Competitive High School Athletes Antonio Pelliccia and Domenico Corrado Electrocardiography and Preparticipation Screening of Competitive High School Athletes Barry J. Maron Metrics Cited ByA decade of athlete ECG criteria: Where we've come and where we're goingAssessment of the 12-Lead ECG as a Screening Test for Detection of Cardiovascular Disease in Healthy General Populations of Young People (12–25 Years of Age)Assessment of the 12-Lead Electrocardiogram as a Screening Test for Detection of Cardiovascular Disease in Healthy General Populations of Young People (12–25 Years of Age)Cardiovascular Disease, Sudden Cardiac Death, and Preparticipation Screening in Young Competitive Athletes 20 July 2010Volume 153, Issue 2Page: 131-132KeywordsElectrocardiographyHeartLife expectancyMammographyPhenylketonuriaProspective studiesStatistical dataSudden cardiac deathYoung adults ePublished: 20 July 2010 Issue Published: 20 July 2010 CopyrightCopyright © 2010 by American College of Physicians. All Rights Reserved.PDF DownloadLoading ...