Prevalence and significance of T-wave inversions in predominantly Caucasian adolescent athletes.
OBJECTIVE
Athletic activity is associated with electrocardiographic T-wave inversions in some adults, resembling those observed in cardiomyopathy. The prevalence and significance of T-wave inversions in adolescent athletes, the group most vulnerable to exercise-related sudden death from cardiomyopathy, is unknown.


RESULTS
This study evaluated 1710 adolescent athletes and 400 healthy controls. Subjects with T-wave inversions underwent intensive cardiac investigations to identify a potential cause. There was no significant difference in the overall prevalence of T-wave inversions between athletes and controls (4 vs. 3%; P = 0.46). T-wave inversions in leads V1-V3 were largely confined to athletes and controls aged <16 years. Only 0.1% of athletes aged >or=16 years exhibited T-wave inversions beyond V2. T-wave inversions in the inferior and/or lateral leads and deep T-wave inversions occurred infrequently in athletes (1.5 and 0.8%, respectively) and were associated with a high prevalence of left ventricular hypertrophy or congenital cardiac anomalies. Despite intensive investigations, no athlete was diagnosed with a cardiomyopathy.


CONCLUSIONS
T-wave inversions in V1-V3 are relatively common in athletes <16 years and probably represent the juvenile electrocardiogram pattern. In adolescent athletes, T-wave inversions beyond V2 if >or=16 years, T-wave inversions in the inferior/lateral leads and deep T-wave inversions in any lead are unusual, warranting further investigations for underlying cardiomyopathy.
Papadakis
Michael
M
King's College Hospital, Denmark Hill, Denmark Hill, London SE5 9RS, UK.
Basavarajaiah
Sandeep
S
Rawlins
John
J
Edwards
Carey
C
Makan
Jayesh
J
Firoozi
Sami
S
Carby
Lorna
L
Sharma
Sanjay
S
D000293:Adolescent; D009202:Cardiomyopathies / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016757:Death, Sudden, Cardiac / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D004452:Echocardiography; D004562:Electrocardiography / Q000295:instrumentation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013177:Sports / Q000502:physiology*; D006113:United Kingdom; D044465:White People