Electrocardiographic findings in elite professional cyclists: The 2017 international recommendations in practice

Abstract

Objectives: To categorize ECG findings into normal, borderline or abnormal in a team of professional elite cyclists according to the 2017 international recommendations.

Design: A cross-sectional study was performed.

Methods: Twelve-lead ECGs collected between 2012 and 2015 as part of an annual routine examination for a team of professional elite cyclists were analysed, and findings classified as normal, borderline or abnormal according to the 2017 recommendations. Information on exercise capacity testing was also collected.

Results: A total of 43 professional cyclists, all Caucasian males ranging between 21 and 38years of age, were included. Given most were followed up for multiple years, a total of 103 ECGs were collected. Normal variations were found in 43 (100%) athletes; borderline findings in 4 (9.3%), and 2 (4.7%) athletes had abnormal findings. No pathology was identified on further investigation of the four cyclists with two concurrent borderline or any abnormal ECG findings, reflecting a false positive rate of 9.3%.

Conclusions: In this team of professional cyclists, the prevalence of abnormal ECG findings requiring further investigation, and the false positive rate were low, despite a very high prevalence of normal variations expected in athletes. This may be as a result of heightened specificity of the new international recommendations for ECG interpretation in athletes.

Keywords: Athlete; Cyclist; Electrocardiography; Guidelines; Men; Screening.