title: Prevalence of Brugada-type ECG pattern and early ventricular repolarization pattern in Tunisian athletes.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  No data regarding the prevalence of the Brugada-type electrocardiogram (ECG) pattern and the early ventricular repolarization pattern (ERP) in the North African population were available. The aims of this study were to determine the frequency of Brugada-type ECG pattern and ERP in Tunisia and to evaluate ECG descriptors of ventricular repolarization in a population of athletes.
  
  
  METHODS
  Over a 2-year period, resting 12-lead ECG recordings were analyzed from athletes (n = 540; 348 males; age 18.3 ± 2.4 years). Brugada-type ECG pattern was defined as Type 1, 2, or 3, and ERP was characterized by an elevation of the J point in the inferior and/or lateral leads. The population was divided into three groups of athletes: ERP group; Brugada-type ECG pattern group; and control group, with neither ERP nor Brugada ECG pattern. Clinical and electrocardiographic parameters were compared among the study groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Nine subjects (1.66%) had a Brugada-type ECG pattern. None of them had the coved-type, 3 (0.6%) had the Type 2, and 6 (1.1%) had the Type 3. All subjects were asymptomatic. A Brugada-type ECG pattern was observed in seven males. No female had the Type 2 Brugada ECG pattern. ECG parameters were similar among Brugada-type ECG pattern and control athletes. ERP (119 subjects, 22%) was obtained in 98 males. Heart rate was lower, the QRS duration shorter and QT and Tpeak-Tend intervals were longer in ERP than control groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results indicate that the frequency of the Brugada-type ECG pattern and ERP were respectively 1.66% and 22.00% in athletes, being more prevalent in males. The ERP group experienced shorter QRS duration and longer Tpeak-Tend interval than in the control population.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Sahloul Hospital, Sousse, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Sana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ouali
authors.forename: Helmi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ben Salem
authors.forename: Sami
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hammas
authors.forename: Elyes
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Neffeti
authors.forename: Fahmi
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Remedi
authors.forename: Abdallah
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mahdhaoui
authors.forename: Essia
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Boughzela
authors.forename: Rafik
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mankai
keywords: ERP athletes; J wave; T wave