ORIGINAL ARTICLES

Efficacy of personal symptom and family history questionnaires when screening for inherited cardiac pathologies: the role of electrocardiography

M G Wilson¹, S Basavarajaiah², G P Whyte³, S Cox⁴, M Loosemore⁵, S Sharma⁶

¹ Research Centre for Sport and Exercise Performance, University of Wolverhampton, Walsall, UK
² Department of Cardiology, University Hospital Lewisham, London, UK
³ Applied Sport and Exercise Science, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, UK
⁴ Cardiac Risk in the Young, Epsom Downs Metro Centre, Surrey, UK
⁵ English Institute of Sport, Olympic Medical Institute, Harrow, UK
⁶ Department of Cardiology, Kings College London, London, UK
CRY Centre for Sports Cardiology, Olympic Medical Institute, Harrow, UK

Mr M Wilson, Laboratory Director, Research Centre for Sport and Exercise Performance, University of Wolverhampton, Walsall WS1 3BD, UK; mat.wilson{at}wlv.ac.uk

Aims: This study sought to confirm the efficacy of using resting 12-lead ECG alongside personal symptom and family history questionnaires and physical examination when screening for diseases with the potential to cause sudden cardiac death in the young.

Methods and results: 1074 national and international junior athletes (mean age 15.8 (SD 0.7) years, range 10 to 27) and 1646 physically active schoolchildren (16.1 (SD 2.1) years, range 14 to 20) were screened using personal and family history questionnaires, physical examination and resting 12-lead ECG. Nine participants with a positive diagnosis of a disease associated with sudden cardiac death were identified. None of the participants diagnosed with a disease associated with sudden cardiac death were symptomatic or had a family history of note.

Conclusion: : Family history and personal symptom questionnaires alone are inadequate to identify people with diseases associated with sudden cardiac death. Use of the 12-lead ECG is essential when screening for cardiac pathology in the young.

CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?

Relevant Article

Sports medicine rendezvous: connecting Everest, muscle strain and sudden cardiac death

Karim M Khan
Br. J. Sports Med. 2008 42: 157. [Extract] [Full Text] [PDF]

This article has been cited by other articles:

• Drezner, J., Pluim, B., Engebretsen, L. (2009). Prevention of sudden cardiac death in athletes: new data and modern perspectives confront challenges in the 21st century. Br. J. Sports. Med. 43: 625-626 [Full Text]  
• Panhuyzen-Goedkoop, N M (2009). Preparticipation cardiovascular screening in young athletes. Br. J. Sports. Med. 43: 629-630 [Full Text]  
• Papadakis, M, Sharma, S (2009). Electrocardiographic screening in athletes: the time is now for universal screening. Br. J. Sports. Med. 43: 663-668 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Schmied, C, Zerguini, Y, Junge, A, Tscholl, P, Pelliccia, A, Mayosi, B M, Dvorak, J (2009). Cardiac findings in the precompetition medical assessment of football players participating in the 2009 African Under-17 Championships in Algeria. Br. J. Sports. Med. 43: 716-721 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Bessem, B, Groot, F P, Nieuwland, W (2009). The Lausanne recommendations: a Dutch experience. Br. J. Sports. Med. 43: 708-715 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• de Noronha, S V, Sharma, S, Papadakis, M, Desai, S, Whyte, G, Sheppard, M N (2009). Aetiology of sudden cardiac death in athletes in the United Kingdom: a pathological study. Heart 95: 1409-1414 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Papadakis, M., Whyte, G., Sharma, S. (2008). Preparticipation screening for cardiovascular abnormalities in young competitive athletes. BMJ 337: a1596-a1596 [Full Text]  
• Khan, K. (2008). What have overprescription of NSAIDs, overtraining and modelling physical activity for kids got to do with Barack Obama in Berlin?. Br. J. Sports. Med. 42: 705-706 [Full Text]  
• Shephard, R. J (2008). Mass ECG screening of young athletes. Br. J. Sports. Med. 42: 707-708 [Full Text]  
• Drezner, J. A, Khan, K. (2008). Sudden cardiac death in young athletes. BMJ 337: a309-a309 [Full Text]  
• Bernhardt, D. (2008). ECG Screening of Young Athletes for Cardiac Disease. AAP Grand Rounds 19: 63-64 [Full Text]  

eLetters:

Read all eLetters

Could ECG screening for sudden cardiac death result in an increase in mortality later in life?

Thamindu G Wedatilake

BJSM Online, 22 Apr 2008 [Full text]