Toxicology Screening in Sports-Related Sudden Cardiac Death: A Multinational Observational Study.
Carl J Hansen; Jesper Svane; Marie K Palsøe; Julia C Isbister; Elizabeth Paratz; Pilar Molina; Benito Morentin; Bo G Winkel; André La Gerche; Kristian Linnet; Jytte Banner; Joaquin Lucena; Christopher Semsarian; Jacob Tfelt-Hansen
Abstract
Knowledge of toxicological findings among sports-related sudden cardiac death (SrSCD) is scarce.This study aimed to describe postmortem toxicology findings in a multinational cohort of young SrSCD.Patients with sudden cardiac death (SCD) aged 12 to 49 years with a complete post mortem were included from Denmark, Spain, and Australia. Postmortem findings were compared between SrSCD and non-SrSCD, and toxicology findings in SrSCD were assessed.We included 3,189 SCD, of which 219 (7%) were sports-related. SrSCD patients were younger (36 years vs 41 years; P < 0.001) and of male predominance (96% vs 75%; P < 0.001), and their death was more often caused by structural cardiac disease (68% vs 61%; P = 0.038). Positive toxicology screenings were significantly less likely among SrSCD than non-SrSCD (12% vs 43%; P < 0.001), corresponding to 82% lower odds of a positive toxicology screening in SrSCD. Patient characteristics were similar between SrSCDs with positive and negative toxicology screenings, but deaths were more often unexplained (59% vs 34%). Nonopioid analgesics were the most common finding (3%), and SCD-associated drugs were detected in 6% of SrSCD. SUD was more prevalent among the SrSCD with positive toxicology (59% vs 34%).Sports-related SCD mainly occurred in younger men with structural heart disease. They had a significantly lower prevalence of a positive toxicology screening compared with non-SrSCD, and detection of SCD-associated drugs was rare.
Journal | JACC. CLINICAL ELECTROPHYSIOLOGY |
ISSN | 2405-5018 |
Published | 07 Dec 2023 |
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DOI | 10.1016/j.jacep.2023.11.006 |
Type | Journal Article |
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