7-011 Electrocardiographic findings of elite British basketball players compared to elite British footballers using the international criteria for ECG interpretation in athletes

Burgher, Tanisha, Yamagata, Kentaro ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4124-6421, Reissis, Markos, Baghertash, Hossein, Howse, Andrew, Thain, Peter, Cresswell, Tom, Vishnubala, Dane, Sharma, Sanjay, Vyas, Aashish and Malhotra, Aneil ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8670-3764 (2025) 7-011 Electrocardiographic findings of elite British basketball players compared to elite British footballers using the international criteria for ECG interpretation in athletes. In: Heart, A211-A212. Presented at British Cardiovascular Society Annual Conference, 2 June - 4 June 2025, Manchester Central Convention Complex, Manchester, UK.

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Abstract

Abstract Introduction Basketball and football are two sports with the highest incidence of sudden cardiac death (SCD) reported in the literature. Correct identification of high-risk individuals is crucial to reduce the potential of SCD in those harbouring a life-threatening cardiac condition. We sought to describe the ECG characteristics of elite British basketball players and compare the prevalence of ECG abnormalities with a large cohort of elite British football players. Methods A cohort of 310 elite British basketball players at national level (mean age of 18.4 ± 0.9 years) were screened with health questionnaire, ECG and echocardiogram if indicated, between 2021 and 2024. 166 (54%) were male, 148 (48%) were white and 154 (50%) of black ethnicity (African/Caribbean). ECGs were retrospectively analysed according to the International criteria for ECG interpretation in athletes and compared to an age-, ethnicity and sex-matched cohort of elite football players screened through the mandatory Football Association cardiac screening programme. Results 5.2% basketball players were found to have abnormal ECG findings classified by the international criteria compared to 1.8% football players (p <0.0001). Compared to football players, basketball players demonstrated a higher prevalence of abnormal T-wave inversion (TWI) (5.2% vs 1.7%, p <0.0001), abnormal QTc intervals (1% vs 0.3%, p= 0.012), atrial enlargement (4.5% vs 2.2%, p= 0.033), first degree atrioventricular block (6.1% vs 3.2%, p= 0.007) and a greater degree of axis deviation (2.6% vs 1.2%, p= 0.056). Among black athletes, abnormal TWI had equal prevalence in basketball players and football players (4.5% vs 4.1%, p= 1). Black basketball players demonstrated a higher prevalence of right ventricular hypertrophy (2.6% vs 0%, p= 0.141) compared to white counterparts, similar to findings amongst footballers (3.7% vs 2.2%, p= 0.004). White basketball players had a higher prevalence of left ventricular hypertrophy (62.8% vs 55.2% p= 0.218) compared to black counterparts, with similar findings for footballers (24.6% vs 17.2%, p <0.0001). Notably, black basketball players had a lower prevalence of left atrial enlargement (0.6% vs 5.7%, p <0.0001) compared to black footballers. There were no reports of inherited cardiac disease or SCD.