Vascular alterations among male elite athletes recovering from SARS-CoV-2 infection.

SARS-CoV-2 may affect the cardiovascular system and vascular impairment has been reported in healthy young adults recovering from COVID-19. However, the impact of SARS-CoV-2 infection on the vascular function of elite athletes is unknown. We examined 30 healthy male elite athletes (age 25.8 ± 4.6 years) pre-season and at a 6-month follow-up (182 ± 10 days). Vascular function and central blood pressure were calculated using transfer function-based analysis of peripheral arterial waveforms obtained by oscillometry. We performed a two-way repeated-measures ANOVA on the biomarker data, with SARS-CoV-2 status as the between-groups factor and time as the within-groups factor. Subjects who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 were studied 18 ± 4 days after their positive testing date at follow-up. Of 30 athletes, 15 tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 after the first examination and prior to the follow-up. None had severe COVID-19 or reported any persisting symptoms. The results of the two-way repeated measures ANOVA revealed that there was no significant main effect of COVID-19 on any of the investigated biomarkers. However, there was a significant interaction between the effects of SARS-CoV-2 exposure and time on augmentation index (Aix) (p = 0.006) and augmentation index normalized to a heart rate of 75 beats per minute (Aix@75), (p = 0.0018). The observation of an interaction effect on Aix and Aix@75 in the absence of any main effect indicates a cross-over interaction. Significant vascular alterations in male elite athletes recovering from COVID-19 were observed that suggest vascular impairment. Whether these alterations affect athletic performance should be evaluated in future studies.

[Sports cardiology 2021 - what's new?] / Sportkardiologie 2021 ­ was gibt es Neues?

The recently published guidelines "Sports cardiology and exercise in patients with cardiovascular disease" (2020) are the first of a kind by the European Society of Cardiology (ESC). The guidelines provide comprehensive training recommendations for patients with cardiovascular diseases or risk factors, covering the entire spectrum of cardiovascular diseases with case-specific recommendations for recreational and competitive sports.The ESC recognizes exercise as an essential part of both prevention and therapy of cardiovascular diseases, that - comparable to drug therapies - requires correct prescription.The initial cardiac examination is used for individual risk stratification and is indispensable for individualized training recommendations addressing training frequency, duration and intensity, as well as type of sport.Thus, the question is not whether a patient with cardiovascular disease shall be allowed to exercise, but rather how he can safely perform it. Only in exceptional cases exercise therapy is (temporarily) contraindicated.COVID-19 can lead to cardiovascular complications even in asymptomatic and mild disease courses. Before resuming intense sporting activities, different return-to-sports protocols have been introduced. The current consensus is that the extent of these examinations should be based on symptoms, severity and duration of COVID-19 and that individual return-to-training recommendations should be given.