The Cardiac Effects of COVID-19 on Young Competitive Athletes: Results from the Outcomes Registry for Cardiac Conditions in Athletes (ORCCA).
Nathaniel Moulson, Bradley J Petek, Aaron L Baggish, Kimberly G Harmon, Stephanie A Kliethermes, Manesh R Patel, Timothy W Churchill, Jonathan A Drezner
Author Information
Nathaniel Moulson: Division of Cardiology and Sports Cardiology BC, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T2B5, Canada.
Bradley J Petek: Massachusetts General Hospital Division of Cardiology, Boston, MA 02114, USA.
Aaron L Baggish: Department of Cardiology, Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV), CH-105 Lausanne, Switzerland.
Kimberly G Harmon: Department of Family Medicine and Center for Sports Cardiology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA.
Stephanie A Kliethermes: Department of Orthopedics and Rehabilitation, University of Wisconsin Madison, Madison, WI 53705, USA.
Manesh R Patel: Division of Cardiology, Duke Heart Center, Duke Clinical Research Institute, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27710, USA.
Timothy W Churchill: Massachusetts General Hospital Division of Cardiology, Boston, MA 02114, USA.
Jonathan A Drezner: Department of Family Medicine and Center for Sports Cardiology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA. ORCID
The Outcomes Registry for Cardiac Conditions in Athletes (ORCCA) study is a large-scale prospective investigation evaluating the cardiovascular effects and outcomes of SARS-CoV-2 infection on young competitive athletes. This review provides an overview of the key results from the ORCCA study. Results from the ORCCA study have provided important insights into the clinical impact of SARS-CoV-2 infection on the cardiovascular health of young competitive athletes and informed contemporary screening and return to sport practices. Key results include defining a low prevalence of both cardiac involvement and adverse cardiovascular outcomes after SARS-CoV-2 infection and evaluating the utility of a return-to-play cardiac evaluation. Future aims of the ORCCA study include the longer-term evaluation of cardiovascular outcomes among athletes post-SARS-CoV-2 infection and the transition to investigating outcomes in young athletes with potentially high-risk genetic or structural cardiac diagnoses.
