Comparison of demographic, personal symptoms and family history parameters between Arabic, Black African and Caucasian athletes, and Arabic controls
| Parameter | Arabic (n=596) | Black African (n=410) | Caucasian (n=160) | Arabic controls (n=201) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age (years) | 22.7±5.9* (13–40) | 24.6±4.7† (13–40) | 24.4±5.4† (15–36) | 24.7±8.6 (15–45) |
| Height (cm) | 176±8.9* (126–204) | 182.9±11.0† (160–210) | 188.2±11.4†‡ (157–211) | 173.8±6.5 (152–197) |
| Body mass (kg) | 72.7±13.8 (29–158) | 80.4±14.8† (46–126) | 86.1±13.9†‡ (56–123) | 71.1±15.4 (43–153) |
| BSA (m2) | 1.88±0.2* (1–2.57) | 2.02±0.2† (1.48–2.69) | 2.12±0.23†‡ (1.60–2.61) | 1.82±0.26 (1.48–2.62) |
| Left systolic BP (mm Hg) | 120±13 (85–150) | 125.2±10.9† (97–150) | 126.4±11.8† (94–145) | 118.1±14.9 (86–158) |
| Left diastolic BP (mm Hg) | 71±9 (43–109) | 73.6±8.4 (44–107) | 74.5±10.1 (42–100) | 72.1±11.7 (42–97) |
| Murmur (%) | 2.3 | 2.7 | 1.3 | 4 |
| Chest pain at rest or during exercise (%) | 3.4 | 2 | 1.9 | 3 |
| Shortness of breath during exercise (%) | 2.8 | 2 | 0.6 | 1.5 |
| Palpitations at rest or during exercise (%) | 3 | 2.2 | 3.8 | 5.5 |
| Dizziness during exercise (%) | 9.2 | 4.6† | 5† | 7 |
| Syncope (%) | 1.5 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 |
| FH of SCD (<35 years) (%) | 7.4 | 3.9† | 2.5† | 4.5 |
| FH of Marfan's syndrome (%) | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 |
*Statistically significant between Arabic athletes versus Arabic controls.
†Statistically significant between Arabic athletes versus Black African and Caucasian athletes.
‡Statistically significant between Caucasian athletes versus Black African and Arabic athletes.
BP, blood pressure; BSA, body surface area; FH, family history; SCD, sudden cardiac death.