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Int J Sports Med 2023; 44(06): 449-453
DOI: 10.1055/a-1962-7869
Clinical Sciences

Re-evaluation After 2 Years of COVID-19 Pandemic: Return to Play in Pediatric Population: What’s New?

Eliana Tranchita 
1   Department of Cardiac Surgery, Cardiology and Heart Lung Transplant, Division of Sports Medicine, Bambino Gesu Pediatric Hospital, Rome, Italy
,
Giulia Cafiero
1   Department of Cardiac Surgery, Cardiology and Heart Lung Transplant, Division of Sports Medicine, Bambino Gesu Pediatric Hospital, Rome, Italy
,
Ugo Giordano
1   Department of Cardiac Surgery, Cardiology and Heart Lung Transplant, Division of Sports Medicine, Bambino Gesu Pediatric Hospital, Rome, Italy
,
Federica Gentili
1   Department of Cardiac Surgery, Cardiology and Heart Lung Transplant, Division of Sports Medicine, Bambino Gesu Pediatric Hospital, Rome, Italy
,
Attilio Parisi
2   Department of Movement, Human and Health Sciences, University of Rome ‘Foro Italico’, Rome, Italy
,
Chiara Pierri
3   Department of Cardiac Surgery, Cardiology and Heart Lung Transplant, Bambino Gesu Pediatric Hospital, Rome, Italy
,
Francesca Ippolita Calò Carducci
4   Academic Pediatric Department, Immunological and Infectious Disease Unit, Bambino Gesu Pediatric Hospital, Rome, Italy
,
Fabrizio Drago
5   Department of Cardiac Surgery, Cardiology and Heart Lung Transplant, Paediatric Cardiology and Cardiac Arrhythmias Unit, Bambino Gesu Pediatric Hospital, Rome, Italy
,
Attilio Turchetta
1   Department of Cardiac Surgery, Cardiology and Heart Lung Transplant, Division of Sports Medicine, Bambino Gesu Pediatric Hospital, Rome, Italy
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Abstract

An observational retrospective study was conducted on 180 young competitive athletes. These children were revaluated after a mild/moderate SARS-CoV-2 infection through 3 different kind of protocol aimed at recognizing any cardiorespiratory complications due to the infection. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the results of “return to play” Italian protocols for readmission to competitive sport in the pediatric population. All of the subjects analyzed were readmitted to competitive sports after revaluation. None of the young athletes showed cardiorespiratory compromises at first and/or second level evaluation, confirming that in young population there is low risk of hospitalization and life-threatening complications after a mild/moderate infection. Italian simplified protocol for resuming sport have proved to be a valuable tool for health assessment both in adult and young athletes allowing them to resume their training in safety.

Key words

competitive sport - health - children - infectious disease


Publication History

Received: 08 July 2022

Accepted: 17 October 2022

Accepted Manuscript online:
18 October 2022

Article published online:
17 March 2023

© 2023. Thieme. All rights reserved.

Georg Thieme Verlag
Rüdigerstraße 14, 70469 Stuttgart, Germany

 

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