Imaging associations enhance the understanding of ECG abnormalities in male Brazilian football players: findings from the B-Pro Foot ECG study
Objectives To evaluate the prevalence of abnormal ECG findings and their association with imaging results in male Brazilian football players. Methods The ‘B-Pro Foot ECG’ is a multicentre observational study conducted in 82 Brazilian professional clubs. It analysed 6125 players aged 15–35 years (2496 white, 2004 mixed-race and 1625 black individuals) who underwent cardiovascular screening from 2002 to 2023. All ECGs were reviewed by two experienced cardiologists in the athlete’s care. Those with abnormal findings underwent further investigations, including a transthoracic echocardiogram (TTE). Cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) was subsequently performed based on TTE findings or clinical suspicion. Results In total, 180 (3%) players had abnormal ECGs and 176 (98%) showed normal TTE results. Athletes aged 26–35 years had a higher prevalence of abnormal ECGs than younger athletes (15–25 years). Black players had a higher prevalence of T-wave inversion (TWI) in the inferior leads than white