Abstract
Background
The most common cause of sudden cardiac death in the United State of America is hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, while other causes such as left ventricular hypertrophy, ion-channelopathies, and other causes are also significant. Screening programs typically involve electrocardiograms with mainly false positive results. Little data regarding EKG and echocardiographic screening combined have been published.
Methods
During 2016–2019, over 15000 patients were screened by the Heartfelt Cardiac screening program. Screening electrocardiograms and echocardiograms including parasternal short/long axis, 4-chamber views, coronary assessment with color doppler and subcostal views with color doppler for assessment of septal defects, were performed.
Results
15,329 patients were screened under 35 years of age, mean age 17 years, with 36 hypertrophic cardiomyopathy patients, 61 borderline left ventricular hypertrophy patients noted, 30 patients with left ventricular dysfunction were noted, 47 patients with mitral valve prolapse, 27 patients with atrial septal defects, 39 patients with Wolf-Parkinson-White, 21patients with ideopathic dilated cardiomyopathy were discovered. Screening electrocardiography was helpful for Wolf-Parkinson-White identification, while echocardiogram was most helpful for detection of the above other defects. Screening EKG only identified 45% of those patients with myocardial disease (per above) with the modified Seattle Screening and ESC screening criteria.
Conclusion
Screening echocardiogram adds value for screening athletes under 35 years at risk for sudden cardiac death. Consideration of cost-effective echo screening should be considered as part of routine screening.
A de novo mutation in NKX2.5 associated with atrial septal defects, ventricular noncompaction, syncope and sudden death