Acute and post-acute COVID-19 presentations in athletes: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Issue 16 (27th May 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Lemes, Italo Ribeiro; Smaira, Fabiana Infante; Ribeiro, Willian J. D.; Favero, Natalia Koenig; Matos, Luciana Diniz Nagem Janot; Pinto, Ana Lúcia de Sá; Dolan, Eimear; Gualano, Bruno
• Other Names: author non-byline.; Pinto Ana Jéssica author non-byline.; Loturco Irineu author non-byline.; Szarf Gilberto author non-byline.; Campos Vieira Marcelo Luiz author non-byline.; Ghorayeb Nabil author non-byline.; Araújo de Albuquerque Lorena Christine author non-byline.; Bassaneze Bruno author non-byline.; Filho Marcos Perillo author non-byline.; Bougleux Alô Rodrigo Otávio author non-byline.; Garcia Thiago Ghorayeb author non-byline.; Teixeira Mateus Freitas author non-byline.; Prado Danilo author non-byline.; Lima Fernanda Rodrigues author non-byline.; Rezende Diego author non-byline.; Guimarães Cecchini Marina Valente author non-byline.; Brito Gisele Mendes author non-byline.
• Is Part Of: British journal of sports medicine. Volume 56:Issue 16(2022)
• Page Start: 941
• Page End: 947
• Publication Date: 2022-05-27
• Subjects: Sport -- Athletes -- Covid-19 -- Infection -- Meta-analysis; Sports medicine -- Periodicals; 617.1027
• DOI: 10.1136/bjsports-2022-105583
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0306-3674

Abstract

Abstract : Objective: To describe acute/postacute COVID-19 presentations in athletes. Design: Systematic review and meta-analysis. Data sources: The search was conducted in four databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, SCOPUS, SPORTDiscus) and restricted to studies published from 2019 to 6 January 2022. Eligibility criteria for selecting studies: Studies were required to (1) include professional, amateur or collegiate/university athletes with COVID-19; (2) present data on acute/postacute COVID-19 symptoms and (3) have an observational design. Risk of bias was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal tools. Results: 43 studies with 11 518 athletes were included. For acute presentation, the pooled event rates for asymptomatic and severe COVID-19 were 25.5% (95% CI: 21.1% to 30.5%) and 1.3% (95% CI: 0.7% to 2.3%), respectively. For postacute presentations, the pooled estimate of persistent symptoms was 8.3% (95% CI: 3.8% to 17.0%). Pooled estimate for myocardial involvement was 5.0% (95% CI: 2.5% to 9.8%) in athletes undergoing any cardiac testing, and 2.5% (95% CI: 1.0% to 5.8%) in athletes undergoing MRI, although clinical symptoms were not characterised. None of the studies with a control group (eg, non-infected athletes) could confirm a causal relationship between COVID-19 and myocardial involvement. Conclusion: This broad characterisation of COVID-19 presentations in athletes indicates that ~94% exhibited mild or no acute symptoms. The available evidence did not confirm a causal relationship between COVID-19 and myocardial involvement. A small proportion of athletes experienced persistent symptoms while recovering from infection, which were mostly mild in nature, but could affect return-to-play decisions and timing.