Objective: Athletes are susceptible to acute respiratory tract infections, including SARS-CoV-2, which can affect cardiovascular function. We aimed to evaluate the impact of COVID-19 infection and quarantine on cardiac function in male and female collegiate athletes.
Methods: We conducted a single-center, prospective, case-control study and performed transthoracic echocardiography in a diverse group of convalescent SARS-CoV-2-positive athletes following a 10-14-day quarantine, matched to non-SARS-CoV-2 athletes. Data collection occurred from August 1, 2020, to May 31, 2021.
Results: We evaluated 61 SARS-CoV-2-positive athletes (20 ± 1 years, 39% female) and 61 controls (age 20 ± 2 years, 39% female). Echocardiography in SARS-CoV-2-positive athletes was performed on average 40 ± 38 days after infection diagnosis. All SARS-CoV-2-positive athletes had clinically normal systolic left ventricular function (LVEF > 50%). However, SARS-CoV-2-positive athletes exhibited mildly lower LVEF compared to controls (65 ± 6% vs. 72 ± 8%, respectively, p < 0.001), which remained significant when evaluated separately for female and male athletes. Sub-analysis revealed these differences occurred only when imaging occurred within a mean average of 27 days of infection, with a longer recovery period (≥27 days) resulting in no differences. SARS-CoV-2-positive male athletes exhibited higher left ventricular end-diastolic volume and mitral filling velocities compared to male controls.
Conclusion: Our study reveals unique sex-specific cardiac changes in collegiate athletes following SARS-CoV-2 infection and quarantine compared to controls. Despite a mild reduction in LVEF, which was only observed in the first weeks following infection, no clinically significant cardiac abnormalities were observed. Further research is required to understand if the changes in LVEF are directly attributed to the infection or indirectly through exercise restrictions resulting from quarantine.
Keywords: COVID; SARS-CoV-2; cardiovascular changes; collegiate athlete.