Electrocardiographic Patterns of Nigerian Professional Footballers in Gombe State

Abstract

Background: There has being increasing professional sport and also some report of sudden cardiac death among active footballers.   

Objective: To determine the Electrocardiographic patterns among professional footballers, involved in the sport for more than 4 years.    

Methodology: Thirty-four footballers were studied. They were all physically fit and without symptoms. They were age matched with non  sportsmen as controls. Their constitutional and cardiovascular parameters were obtained with their Electrocardiographic studies. The  study was carried out in 34 Professional Footballers in Gombe State, in active sport for more than four (4) years.

Results: The age range  was from 20 to 38 years with mean age of 26.7 + 5.1 years. The mean duration of active sport participation was 8.2 + 2.4 years.  Electrocardiographic abnormalities were present in 32 (94%) of Footballers and include the followings: Group 1(common and training- related ECG changes) were Sinus Bradycardia (44%), Sinus Arrhythmia (24%) Left Ventricular Hypertrophy by: Araoye's Code System  (23.5%), Sokolow-Lyon (61.8%) and Romhilt-Estes Voltage (35.3%) while the Group 2(uncommon and training-unrelated ECG changes)  were Right Axis Deviation and Left Axis Deviation were (6%) respectively, Left Atrial Enlargement (85%), First Degree Heart Block (6%) and  Prolong QT interval (35.3%),

Conclusion: Most of the ECG abnormalities remain that of common and training related ECG changes but  significant footballers had uncommon and training unrelated ECG changes. We recommend continuing participation in competitive sport  with further cardiovascular examination for those with group two changes.