Table 1.
Published case series and registries to date evaluating athletes recovering from infection with SARS-CoV-2. CMRI, cardiac magnetic resonance imaging. Triad testing includes an electrocardiogram (EKG), serum cardiac troponin measurement, and a transthoracic echocardiogram (TTE).
| Authors | Study Type | COVID+ Athletes Included | Competition Level | Findings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rajpal, et al.30 | Case Series | 26 | Collegiate | No abnormal biomarkers, EKG, or TTE. All underwent CMRI. 4 (15%) had abnormal CMRI, and two had dyspnea. |
| Brito, et al32 | Case Series | 60 | Collegiate | 54/60 had echocardiography, serum cardiac troponin measurement, and EKG. Forty-six underwent CMRI for symptoms and/or abnormal triad testing. 27/46 (56%) had abnormal CMRI findings. 19 (40%) had pericardial late enhancement with associated pericardial effusion. No specific imaging features of myocardial inflammation were identified. |
| Vago, et al72 | Case Series | 12 | Professional | All asymptomatic. All had normal serum cardiac troponin and CMRI compared to healthy controls. |
| Clark, et al.34 | Case Series | 59 | Collegiate | All had normal EKG, serum cardiac troponin, and TTE. All underwent CMRI. Two COVID+ athletes (3%) had CMRI features of myocardial inflammation. One (2%) developed clinically evident myocarditis. Notable CMRI findings were documented in healthy and COVID+ athletes which were absent in non-athletes, such as RV insertion point LGE. |
| Starekova, et al.35 | Case Series | 145 | Collegiate | All underwent CMRI. 81% had symptoms. Two had evidence of myocardial inflammation on CMRI, one was minimally symptomatic; the other had mild-moderate symptoms. |
| Malek, et al.37,36 | Case Series | 26 | Professional | All underwent CMRI. 4 (15%) had abnormal serum troponin. CMRI revealed abnormalities in five, none met updated criteria for myocarditis. |
| Martinez, et al38 | Registry | 789 | Professional | All underwent triad testing; thirty screened abnormal. Twenty-seven underwent CMRI; five had findings of myocardial inflammation. No deaths or cardiac events were recorded. |
| Moulson, et al.,33 | Registry | 3018 | Collegiate | Selective triad testing followed by CMRI if clinically indicated. 21/2999 had abnormal EKG; 24/2719 had abnormal troponin; 24/2556 had abnormal TTE. 198 underwent CMRI with three showing cardiac involvement. One cardiac event was recorded, unrelated to COVID-19. |
| Hendrickson, et al.74 | Case Series | 137 | Collegiate | All underwent triad testing. CMRI was done when clinically indicated. Five athletes had CMRI, and none were abnormal. |
| Daniels, et al.75 | Registry | 2810 | Collegiate | All recommended CMRI, 1597 completed. 37 (2.3%) had abnormal CMRI, 9 (0.5%) of which had symptoms consistent with myocarditis. Twenty-eight were asymptomatic. |
| Hwang, et al.76 | Case Series | 55 | Collegiate | All underwent triad testing; CMRI was used selectively. One case of pericarditis. No cases of myocarditis. No cardiac events were reported. |
RV, right ventricle; LGE, late gadolinium enhancement.