Sports Eligibility After Risk Assessment and Treatment in Children with Asymptomatic Ventricular Pre-excitation

Overview

Journal Sports Med

Specialty Orthopedics

Date 2016 Jan 31

PMID 26825778

Citations 6

Authors

Corrado Di Mambro

F Drago

M Milioni

M S Russo

D Righi

S Placidi

R Remoli

R Palmieri

F Gimigliano

L M Santucci

M S Silvetti

M Prosperi

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background And Objective: Many studies concern the management of young patients with symptomatic Wolff-Parkinson-White (WPW) syndrome, but little information exists on the significance and prognosis of ventricular pre-excitation (VPE) in asymptomatic children. The aim of the study was to evaluate the risk of sudden death in young athletes with asymptomatic VPE by transesophageal electrophysiological study (TEEPS) and their sports eligibility after the risk assessment and/or ablative treatment.

Methods: Ninety-one asymptomatic children and adolescents underwent TEEPS both at rest and during adrenergic stress (exercise testing or isoproterenol infusion). After electrophysiological testing, patients were assessed in the 36 months of follow-up.

Results: Thirty-three patients (36.3 %) had a benign form of VPE and were allowed to participate in competitions. Ten patients (11 %) were at borderline risk; thus, sport eligibility was evaluated individually. Forty-eight patients (52.7 %) showed inducible sustained atrioventricular reentrant tachycardia and/or atrial fibrillation (AF), 11 of whom (12.1 % of total population) had a potential risk of sudden cardiac death due to AF inducibility during physical stress. Forty-five young athletes underwent transcatheter ablation (TCA). TCA was interrupted in 12 patients (26.7 %) because of the high procedural risk linked to septal accessory pathway (AP) location. There were no TCA-related complications, and all patients remained asymptomatic during follow-up.

Conclusion: Most of the young athletes with asymptomatic VPE may be allowed to participate in competitive sports after an adequate risk assessment and/or ablative treatment. However, in our opinion, special care should be taken to avoid procedural complications, which are unacceptable in asymptomatic patients.

Citing Articles

Different patterns of pre-excitation in a large Italian cohort of asymptomatic non-competitive athletes evaluated by telecardiology screening: Prevalence and ECG features.

Molinari M, Setti S, Brunetti N, Di Nunno N, Alberta Cattabiani M, Molinari G Int J Cardiol Heart Vasc. 2024; 55:101553.

PMID: 39610649 PMC: 11602585. DOI: 10.1016/j.ijcha.2024.101553.

Diagnosis and treatment of fetal and pediatric age patients (0-12 years) with Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome and atrioventricular accessory pathways.

Leoni L, Bronzetti G, Colonna D, Porcedda G, Rimini A, Silvetti M J Cardiovasc Med (Hagerstown). 2023; 24(9):589-601.

PMID: 37409656 PMC: 10836786. DOI: 10.2459/JCM.0000000000001484.

Pre-excitation Due to Fascicular-Ventricular Pathway: An Electrocardiographic Diagnosis: A Case Report.

Lange R, Nguyen V, Abedin Z J Investig Med High Impact Case Rep. 2022; 10:23247096211073261.

PMID: 35045738 PMC: 8785281. DOI: 10.1177/23247096211073261.

Management of Young Athletes with Asymptomatic Preexcitation-A Review of the Literature.

Ksiazczyk T, Pietrzak R, Werner B Diagnostics (Basel). 2020; 10(10).

PMID: 33076240 PMC: 7602380. DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics10100824.

Management of Asymptomatic Wolff-Parkinson-White Pattern in Young Patients: Has Anything Changed?.

Raposo D, Antonio N, Andrade H, Sousa P, Pires A, Goncalves L Pediatr Cardiol. 2019; 40(5):892-900.

PMID: 31069431 DOI: 10.1007/s00246-019-02110-6.

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