Sports, Myocarditis and COVID-19: Diagnostics, Prevention and
                    Return-to-play Strategies

Thomas Schmidt; Birna Bjarnason-Wehrens; Jonas Zacher; Hans-Georg Predel; Nils Reiss

doi:10.1055/a-1810-5314

International Journal of Sports Medicine, Table of Contents

CC BY 4.0 · Int J Sports Med 2022; 43(13): 1097-1105
DOI: 10.1055/a-1810-5314

Review

Sports, Myocarditis and COVID-19: Diagnostics, Prevention and Return-to-play Strategies

Thomas Schmidt

¹Institute for Cardiovascular Research, Schüchtermann-Klinik Bad Rothenfelde, Bad Rothenfelde, Germany

²Department of Preventive and Rehabilitative Sport and Exercise Medicine, Institute for Cardiology and Sports Medicine, German Sport University Cologne, Cologne, Germany

,

Birna Bjarnason-Wehrens

²Department of Preventive and Rehabilitative Sport and Exercise Medicine, Institute for Cardiology and Sports Medicine, German Sport University Cologne, Cologne, Germany

,

Jonas Zacher

²Department of Preventive and Rehabilitative Sport and Exercise Medicine, Institute for Cardiology and Sports Medicine, German Sport University Cologne, Cologne, Germany

,

Hans-Georg Predel

²Department of Preventive and Rehabilitative Sport and Exercise Medicine, Institute for Cardiology and Sports Medicine, German Sport University Cologne, Cologne, Germany

,

Nils Reiss

¹Institute for Cardiovascular Research, Schüchtermann-Klinik Bad Rothenfelde, Bad Rothenfelde, Germany

› Author Affiliations

Abstract

Myocarditis is an umbrella term for non-ischemic myocardial inflammation and remains a leading cause of sudden cardiac death in active individuals and athletes. Accurate diagnosing is challenging and diseases could often remain undetected. In the majority of cases, acute myocarditis resolves favourably. However, a relevant proportion of patients may have an increased risk of prognostically relevant cardiac arrhythmias and/or the development and progression of maladaptive myocardial remodelling (dilated cardiomyopathy). This review provides current knowledge on myocarditis and sports with special regard to the COVID-19 pandemic. Possible causes, common symptoms and proposed diagnostics are summarized. The relevance of temporary avoidance of intensive sports activities for both the prevention and therapy of acute myocarditis is discussed. Risk stratification, specific return-to-play recommendations and proposed follow-up diagnostics (also after COVID-19 infection) are presented.

Key words

sport - myocarditis - COVID-19 - diagnostics - prevention - return-to-play

Full Text

References

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