title: Nonischemic Left Ventricular Scar as a Substrate of Life-Threatening Ventricular Arrhythmias and Sudden Cardiac Death in Competitive Athletes.
abstract: The clinical profile and arrhythmic outcome of competitive athletes with isolated nonischemic left ventricular (LV) scar as evidenced by contrast-enhanced cardiac magnetic resonance remain to be elucidated.
  
  
  
  We compared 35 athletes (80% men, age: 14-48 years) with ventricular arrhythmias and isolated LV subepicardial/midmyocardial late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) on contrast-enhanced cardiac magnetic resonance (group A) with 38 athletes with ventricular arrhythmias and no LGE (group B) and 40 healthy control athletes (group C). A stria LGE pattern with subepicardial/midmyocardial distribution, mostly involving the lateral LV wall, was found in 27 (77%) of group A versus 0 controls (group C; P<0.001), whereas a spotty pattern of LGE localized at the junction of the right ventricle to the septum was respectively observed in 11 (31%) versus 10 (25%; P=0.52). All athletes with stria pattern showed ventricular arrhythmias with a predominant right bundle branch block morphology, 13 of 27 (48%) showed ECG repolarization abnormalities, and 5 of 27 (19%) showed echocardiographic hypokinesis of the lateral LV wall. The majority of athletes with no or spotty LGE pattern had ventricular arrhythmias with a predominant left bundle branch block morphology and no ECG or echocardiographic abnormalities. During a follow-up of 38±25 months, 6 of 27 (22%) athletes with stria pattern experienced malignant arrhythmic events such as appropriate implantable cardiac defibrillator shock (n=4), sustained ventricular tachycardia (n=1), or sudden death (n=1), compared with none of athletes with no or LGE spotty pattern and controls.
  
  
  
  Isolated nonischemic LV LGE with a stria pattern may be associated with life-threatening arrhythmias and sudden death in the athlete. Because of its subepicardial/midmyocardial location, LV scar is often not detected by echocardiography.
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, and Vascular Sciences (A.Z., M.P.M., I.R., M.D.L., A.S., A.N., K.P., F.M., S.R., C.B., B.B., S.I., G.T., D.C.) and Division of Radiology, Department of Medicine (B.G.), University of Padova, Padova, Italy; Department of Radiology, Azienda Ospedaliera di Padova, Padova, Italy (G.D.C.); Center for Sports Medicine, Treviso, Italy (P.S.); Unidad de Cardiologica del Deporte, Hospital Universitario Quiron, Madrid, Spain (L.S.); U.O. Cardiologia, Ospedale B.Ramazzini, Carpi (MO), Italy (G.P., E.D.M.); Center for Sports Medicine, CONI, Rome, Italy (A.P.); and Center for Sports Medicine, Padova, Italy (M.S.).
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zorzi
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, and Vascular Sciences (A.Z., M.P.M., I.R., M.D.L., A.S., A.N., K.P., F.M., S.R., C.B., B.B., S.I., G.T., D.C.) and Division of Radiology, Department of Medicine (B.G.), University of Padova, Padova, Italy; Department of Radiology, Azienda Ospedaliera di Padova, Padova, Italy (G.D.C.); Center for Sports Medicine, Treviso, Italy (P.S.); Unidad de Cardiologica del Deporte, Hospital Universitario Quiron, Madrid, Spain (L.S.); U.O. Cardiologia, Ospedale B.Ramazzini, Carpi (MO), Italy (G.P., E.D.M.); Center for Sports Medicine, CONI, Rome, Italy (A.P.); and Center for Sports Medicine, Padova, Italy (M.S.).
authors.forename: Martina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Perazzolo Marra
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, and Vascular Sciences (A.Z., M.P.M., I.R., M.D.L., A.S., A.N., K.P., F.M., S.R., C.B., B.B., S.I., G.T., D.C.) and Division of Radiology, Department of Medicine (B.G.), University of Padova, Padova, Italy; Department of Radiology, Azienda Ospedaliera di Padova, Padova, Italy (G.D.C.); Center for Sports Medicine, Treviso, Italy (P.S.); Unidad de Cardiologica del Deporte, Hospital Universitario Quiron, Madrid, Spain (L.S.); U.O. Cardiologia, Ospedale B.Ramazzini, Carpi (MO), Italy (G.P., E.D.M.); Center for Sports Medicine, CONI, Rome, Italy (A.P.); and Center for Sports Medicine, Padova, Italy (M.S.).
authors.forename: Ilaria
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Rigato
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, and Vascular Sciences (A.Z., M.P.M., I.R., M.D.L., A.S., A.N., K.P., F.M., S.R., C.B., B.B., S.I., G.T., D.C.) and Division of Radiology, Department of Medicine (B.G.), University of Padova, Padova, Italy; Department of Radiology, Azienda Ospedaliera di Padova, Padova, Italy (G.D.C.); Center for Sports Medicine, Treviso, Italy (P.S.); Unidad de Cardiologica del Deporte, Hospital Universitario Quiron, Madrid, Spain (L.S.); U.O. Cardiologia, Ospedale B.Ramazzini, Carpi (MO), Italy (G.P., E.D.M.); Center for Sports Medicine, CONI, Rome, Italy (A.P.); and Center for Sports Medicine, Padova, Italy (M.S.).
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: De Lazzari
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, and Vascular Sciences (A.Z., M.P.M., I.R., M.D.L., A.S., A.N., K.P., F.M., S.R., C.B., B.B., S.I., G.T., D.C.) and Division of Radiology, Department of Medicine (B.G.), University of Padova, Padova, Italy; Department of Radiology, Azienda Ospedaliera di Padova, Padova, Italy (G.D.C.); Center for Sports Medicine, Treviso, Italy (P.S.); Unidad de Cardiologica del Deporte, Hospital Universitario Quiron, Madrid, Spain (L.S.); U.O. Cardiologia, Ospedale B.Ramazzini, Carpi (MO), Italy (G.P., E.D.M.); Center for Sports Medicine, CONI, Rome, Italy (A.P.); and Center for Sports Medicine, Padova, Italy (M.S.).
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Susana
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, and Vascular Sciences (A.Z., M.P.M., I.R., M.D.L., A.S., A.N., K.P., F.M., S.R., C.B., B.B., S.I., G.T., D.C.) and Division of Radiology, Department of Medicine (B.G.), University of Padova, Padova, Italy; Department of Radiology, Azienda Ospedaliera di Padova, Padova, Italy (G.D.C.); Center for Sports Medicine, Treviso, Italy (P.S.); Unidad de Cardiologica del Deporte, Hospital Universitario Quiron, Madrid, Spain (L.S.); U.O. Cardiologia, Ospedale B.Ramazzini, Carpi (MO), Italy (G.P., E.D.M.); Center for Sports Medicine, CONI, Rome, Italy (A.P.); and Center for Sports Medicine, Padova, Italy (M.S.).
authors.forename: Alice
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Niero
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, and Vascular Sciences (A.Z., M.P.M., I.R., M.D.L., A.S., A.N., K.P., F.M., S.R., C.B., B.B., S.I., G.T., D.C.) and Division of Radiology, Department of Medicine (B.G.), University of Padova, Padova, Italy; Department of Radiology, Azienda Ospedaliera di Padova, Padova, Italy (G.D.C.); Center for Sports Medicine, Treviso, Italy (P.S.); Unidad de Cardiologica del Deporte, Hospital Universitario Quiron, Madrid, Spain (L.S.); U.O. Cardiologia, Ospedale B.Ramazzini, Carpi (MO), Italy (G.P., E.D.M.); Center for Sports Medicine, CONI, Rome, Italy (A.P.); and Center for Sports Medicine, Padova, Italy (M.S.).
authors.forename: Kalliopi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Pilichou
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, and Vascular Sciences (A.Z., M.P.M., I.R., M.D.L., A.S., A.N., K.P., F.M., S.R., C.B., B.B., S.I., G.T., D.C.) and Division of Radiology, Department of Medicine (B.G.), University of Padova, Padova, Italy; Department of Radiology, Azienda Ospedaliera di Padova, Padova, Italy (G.D.C.); Center for Sports Medicine, Treviso, Italy (P.S.); Unidad de Cardiologica del Deporte, Hospital Universitario Quiron, Madrid, Spain (L.S.); U.O. Cardiologia, Ospedale B.Ramazzini, Carpi (MO), Italy (G.P., E.D.M.); Center for Sports Medicine, CONI, Rome, Italy (A.P.); and Center for Sports Medicine, Padova, Italy (M.S.).
authors.forename: Federico
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Migliore
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, and Vascular Sciences (A.Z., M.P.M., I.R., M.D.L., A.S., A.N., K.P., F.M., S.R., C.B., B.B., S.I., G.T., D.C.) and Division of Radiology, Department of Medicine (B.G.), University of Padova, Padova, Italy; Department of Radiology, Azienda Ospedaliera di Padova, Padova, Italy (G.D.C.); Center for Sports Medicine, Treviso, Italy (P.S.); Unidad de Cardiologica del Deporte, Hospital Universitario Quiron, Madrid, Spain (L.S.); U.O. Cardiologia, Ospedale B.Ramazzini, Carpi (MO), Italy (G.P., E.D.M.); Center for Sports Medicine, CONI, Rome, Italy (A.P.); and Center for Sports Medicine, Padova, Italy (M.S.).
authors.forename: Stefania
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rizzo
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, and Vascular Sciences (A.Z., M.P.M., I.R., M.D.L., A.S., A.N., K.P., F.M., S.R., C.B., B.B., S.I., G.T., D.C.) and Division of Radiology, Department of Medicine (B.G.), University of Padova, Padova, Italy; Department of Radiology, Azienda Ospedaliera di Padova, Padova, Italy (G.D.C.); Center for Sports Medicine, Treviso, Italy (P.S.); Unidad de Cardiologica del Deporte, Hospital Universitario Quiron, Madrid, Spain (L.S.); U.O. Cardiologia, Ospedale B.Ramazzini, Carpi (MO), Italy (G.P., E.D.M.); Center for Sports Medicine, CONI, Rome, Italy (A.P.); and Center for Sports Medicine, Padova, Italy (M.S.).
authors.forename: Benedetta
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Giorgi
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, and Vascular Sciences (A.Z., M.P.M., I.R., M.D.L., A.S., A.N., K.P., F.M., S.R., C.B., B.B., S.I., G.T., D.C.) and Division of Radiology, Department of Medicine (B.G.), University of Padova, Padova, Italy; Department of Radiology, Azienda Ospedaliera di Padova, Padova, Italy (G.D.C.); Center for Sports Medicine, Treviso, Italy (P.S.); Unidad de Cardiologica del Deporte, Hospital Universitario Quiron, Madrid, Spain (L.S.); U.O. Cardiologia, Ospedale B.Ramazzini, Carpi (MO), Italy (G.P., E.D.M.); Center for Sports Medicine, CONI, Rome, Italy (A.P.); and Center for Sports Medicine, Padova, Italy (M.S.).
authors.forename: Giorgio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: De Conti
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, and Vascular Sciences (A.Z., M.P.M., I.R., M.D.L., A.S., A.N., K.P., F.M., S.R., C.B., B.B., S.I., G.T., D.C.) and Division of Radiology, Department of Medicine (B.G.), University of Padova, Padova, Italy; Department of Radiology, Azienda Ospedaliera di Padova, Padova, Italy (G.D.C.); Center for Sports Medicine, Treviso, Italy (P.S.); Unidad de Cardiologica del Deporte, Hospital Universitario Quiron, Madrid, Spain (L.S.); U.O. Cardiologia, Ospedale B.Ramazzini, Carpi (MO), Italy (G.P., E.D.M.); Center for Sports Medicine, CONI, Rome, Italy (A.P.); and Center for Sports Medicine, Padova, Italy (M.S.).
authors.forename: Patrizio
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sarto
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, and Vascular Sciences (A.Z., M.P.M., I.R., M.D.L., A.S., A.N., K.P., F.M., S.R., C.B., B.B., S.I., G.T., D.C.) and Division of Radiology, Department of Medicine (B.G.), University of Padova, Padova, Italy; Department of Radiology, Azienda Ospedaliera di Padova, Padova, Italy (G.D.C.); Center for Sports Medicine, Treviso, Italy (P.S.); Unidad de Cardiologica del Deporte, Hospital Universitario Quiron, Madrid, Spain (L.S.); U.O. Cardiologia, Ospedale B.Ramazzini, Carpi (MO), Italy (G.P., E.D.M.); Center for Sports Medicine, CONI, Rome, Italy (A.P.); and Center for Sports Medicine, Padova, Italy (M.S.).
authors.forename: Luis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Serratosa
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, and Vascular Sciences (A.Z., M.P.M., I.R., M.D.L., A.S., A.N., K.P., F.M., S.R., C.B., B.B., S.I., G.T., D.C.) and Division of Radiology, Department of Medicine (B.G.), University of Padova, Padova, Italy; Department of Radiology, Azienda Ospedaliera di Padova, Padova, Italy (G.D.C.); Center for Sports Medicine, Treviso, Italy (P.S.); Unidad de Cardiologica del Deporte, Hospital Universitario Quiron, Madrid, Spain (L.S.); U.O. Cardiologia, Ospedale B.Ramazzini, Carpi (MO), Italy (G.P., E.D.M.); Center for Sports Medicine, CONI, Rome, Italy (A.P.); and Center for Sports Medicine, Padova, Italy (M.S.).
authors.forename: Giampiero
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Patrizi
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, and Vascular Sciences (A.Z., M.P.M., I.R., M.D.L., A.S., A.N., K.P., F.M., S.R., C.B., B.B., S.I., G.T., D.C.) and Division of Radiology, Department of Medicine (B.G.), University of Padova, Padova, Italy; Department of Radiology, Azienda Ospedaliera di Padova, Padova, Italy (G.D.C.); Center for Sports Medicine, Treviso, Italy (P.S.); Unidad de Cardiologica del Deporte, Hospital Universitario Quiron, Madrid, Spain (L.S.); U.O. Cardiologia, Ospedale B.Ramazzini, Carpi (MO), Italy (G.P., E.D.M.); Center for Sports Medicine, CONI, Rome, Italy (A.P.); and Center for Sports Medicine, Padova, Italy (M.S.).
authors.forename: Elia
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: De Maria
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, and Vascular Sciences (A.Z., M.P.M., I.R., M.D.L., A.S., A.N., K.P., F.M., S.R., C.B., B.B., S.I., G.T., D.C.) and Division of Radiology, Department of Medicine (B.G.), University of Padova, Padova, Italy; Department of Radiology, Azienda Ospedaliera di Padova, Padova, Italy (G.D.C.); Center for Sports Medicine, Treviso, Italy (P.S.); Unidad de Cardiologica del Deporte, Hospital Universitario Quiron, Madrid, Spain (L.S.); U.O. Cardiologia, Ospedale B.Ramazzini, Carpi (MO), Italy (G.P., E.D.M.); Center for Sports Medicine, CONI, Rome, Italy (A.P.); and Center for Sports Medicine, Padova, Italy (M.S.).
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pelliccia
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, and Vascular Sciences (A.Z., M.P.M., I.R., M.D.L., A.S., A.N., K.P., F.M., S.R., C.B., B.B., S.I., G.T., D.C.) and Division of Radiology, Department of Medicine (B.G.), University of Padova, Padova, Italy; Department of Radiology, Azienda Ospedaliera di Padova, Padova, Italy (G.D.C.); Center for Sports Medicine, Treviso, Italy (P.S.); Unidad de Cardiologica del Deporte, Hospital Universitario Quiron, Madrid, Spain (L.S.); U.O. Cardiologia, Ospedale B.Ramazzini, Carpi (MO), Italy (G.P., E.D.M.); Center for Sports Medicine, CONI, Rome, Italy (A.P.); and Center for Sports Medicine, Padova, Italy (M.S.).
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Basso
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, and Vascular Sciences (A.Z., M.P.M., I.R., M.D.L., A.S., A.N., K.P., F.M., S.R., C.B., B.B., S.I., G.T., D.C.) and Division of Radiology, Department of Medicine (B.G.), University of Padova, Padova, Italy; Department of Radiology, Azienda Ospedaliera di Padova, Padova, Italy (G.D.C.); Center for Sports Medicine, Treviso, Italy (P.S.); Unidad de Cardiologica del Deporte, Hospital Universitario Quiron, Madrid, Spain (L.S.); U.O. Cardiologia, Ospedale B.Ramazzini, Carpi (MO), Italy (G.P., E.D.M.); Center for Sports Medicine, CONI, Rome, Italy (A.P.); and Center for Sports Medicine, Padova, Italy (M.S.).
authors.forename: Maurizio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schiavon
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, and Vascular Sciences (A.Z., M.P.M., I.R., M.D.L., A.S., A.N., K.P., F.M., S.R., C.B., B.B., S.I., G.T., D.C.) and Division of Radiology, Department of Medicine (B.G.), University of Padova, Padova, Italy; Department of Radiology, Azienda Ospedaliera di Padova, Padova, Italy (G.D.C.); Center for Sports Medicine, Treviso, Italy (P.S.); Unidad de Cardiologica del Deporte, Hospital Universitario Quiron, Madrid, Spain (L.S.); U.O. Cardiologia, Ospedale B.Ramazzini, Carpi (MO), Italy (G.P., E.D.M.); Center for Sports Medicine, CONI, Rome, Italy (A.P.); and Center for Sports Medicine, Padova, Italy (M.S.).
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bauce
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, and Vascular Sciences (A.Z., M.P.M., I.R., M.D.L., A.S., A.N., K.P., F.M., S.R., C.B., B.B., S.I., G.T., D.C.) and Division of Radiology, Department of Medicine (B.G.), University of Padova, Padova, Italy; Department of Radiology, Azienda Ospedaliera di Padova, Padova, Italy (G.D.C.); Center for Sports Medicine, Treviso, Italy (P.S.); Unidad de Cardiologica del Deporte, Hospital Universitario Quiron, Madrid, Spain (L.S.); U.O. Cardiologia, Ospedale B.Ramazzini, Carpi (MO), Italy (G.P., E.D.M.); Center for Sports Medicine, CONI, Rome, Italy (A.P.); and Center for Sports Medicine, Padova, Italy (M.S.).
authors.forename: Sabino
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Iliceto
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, and Vascular Sciences (A.Z., M.P.M., I.R., M.D.L., A.S., A.N., K.P., F.M., S.R., C.B., B.B., S.I., G.T., D.C.) and Division of Radiology, Department of Medicine (B.G.), University of Padova, Padova, Italy; Department of Radiology, Azienda Ospedaliera di Padova, Padova, Italy (G.D.C.); Center for Sports Medicine, Treviso, Italy (P.S.); Unidad de Cardiologica del Deporte, Hospital Universitario Quiron, Madrid, Spain (L.S.); U.O. Cardiologia, Ospedale B.Ramazzini, Carpi (MO), Italy (G.P., E.D.M.); Center for Sports Medicine, CONI, Rome, Italy (A.P.); and Center for Sports Medicine, Padova, Italy (M.S.).
authors.forename: Gaetano
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Thiene
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, and Vascular Sciences (A.Z., M.P.M., I.R., M.D.L., A.S., A.N., K.P., F.M., S.R., C.B., B.B., S.I., G.T., D.C.) and Division of Radiology, Department of Medicine (B.G.), University of Padova, Padova, Italy; Department of Radiology, Azienda Ospedaliera di Padova, Padova, Italy (G.D.C.); Center for Sports Medicine, Treviso, Italy (P.S.); Unidad de Cardiologica del Deporte, Hospital Universitario Quiron, Madrid, Spain (L.S.); U.O. Cardiologia, Ospedale B.Ramazzini, Carpi (MO), Italy (G.P., E.D.M.); Center for Sports Medicine, CONI, Rome, Italy (A.P.); and Center for Sports Medicine, Padova, Italy (M.S.). domenico.corrado@unipd.it.
authors.forename: Domenico
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Corrado
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D056352:Athletes; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002921:Cicatrix / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003287:Contrast Media; D016757:Death, Sudden, Cardiac; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008536:Meglumine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D008875:Middle Aged; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D017180:Tachycardia, Ventricular / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology*
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; C064572:gadobenic acid; D008536:Meglumine
keywords: athletes; cardiomyopathy; myocarditis; sport; sudden death