Abstract
Background : Early repolarization is a common electrocardiographic finding in young athletes and has been reported to be associated with an increased risk of sudden cardiac death. However, little is known about its prevalence and distribution on the body surface in Japanese collegiate athletes. The aims of the study were to assess the prevalence of early repolarization and to determine its pattern of distribution in the 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) in Japanese collegiate athletes. Methods : A 12-lead ECG was recorded in 362 collegiate athletes at Juntendo University and 123 control subjects. Early repolarization was defined as≥0.1 mV elevation at the J point, with notching or slurring in at least two consecutive inferior (II,III, aVF), lateral leads (I, aVL, V4-V6) or both inferior and lateral leads. Results : The prevalence of early repolarization was not significantly different between the athletes (14.6%) and control subjects (10.6%, p‹0.26). The distribution pattern of early repolarization between the athletes and control subjects was similar in the inferior leads (8.0% vs. 5.7%, p‹0.40), lateral leads (4.1% vs. 4.1%, p‹0.97) and both lead groups (2.5% vs. 0.8%, p‹0.26). In a multivariate regression model, early repolarization was associated with a shorter QTc (OR, 5.42 ; 95% CI, 1.58 to 18.64 ; p‹0.01), increased QRS voltage (OR, 3.35 ; 95% CI, 1.75 to 6.39 ; p‹0.001), and slower heart rate (OR, 2.32 ; 95% CI, 1.23 to 4.39 ; p‹0.01) in athletes. Conclusion : The prevalence of early repolarization was not significantly different between the Japanese athletes and control subjects.
