ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND
The incidence of sports-related sudden cardiac death (SrSCD) attributable to myocarditis
is unknown. With the known association between SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) and myocarditis,
an understanding of pre-pandemic rates of SrSCD due to myocarditis will be important
in assessing a change of risk in the future. The objective was to ascertain the incidence
of SrSCD or aborted sudden cardiac death (SCD) attributable to myocarditis in the
general population.
METHODS
A literature search through PubMed/Medline and Ovid/EMBASE was completed. Studies
of SrSCD with autopsy data or clear cause aborted SrSCD were included. SrSCD was defined
as SCD which occurred within 1 hour of exercise. Data were abstracted by two independent
reviewers using the MOOSE guidelines. Risk assessment was performed using the Joanna
Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Checklist for Prevalence Studies. Random effects
models were used to report the incidence and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). The primary
outcome was the incidence of SrSCD attributable to myocarditis, and the secondary
outcome was SrSCD overall.
RESULTS
Fifteen studies were included comprising 347,092,437 person-years (PY). There were
1955 SrSCD or aborted SrSCD overall with an incidence of 0.93 (95% CI: 0.47 to 1.82)
per 100,000 PY. Fifty-three SrSCD were attributed to myocarditis with an incidence
of 0.047 (95% CI: 0.018 to 0.123) per 100,000 PY or 1 death attributable to myocarditis
in 2.13 million PY.
CONCLUSIONS
In this meta-analysis, the overall incidence of SrSCD is low. Furthermore, SrSCD attributed
to myocarditis is exceedingly rare.
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Article Info
Publication History
Accepted:
July 8,
2022
Received in revised form:
June 16,
2022
Received:
March 31,
2022
Publication stage
In Press Journal Pre-ProofFootnotes
Funding Sources: None
Disclosures: None
Funding
Identification
Copyright
© 2022 Published by Elsevier Inc. on behalf of the Canadian Cardiovascular Society.
