In:
Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health), Vol. 54, No. 7 ( 2022-7), p. 1051-1057
Abstract:
SARS-CoV-2 infection (COVID-19) can result in myocarditis. Protocols were developed to allow competitive athletes to safely return to play (RTP) after a COVID-19 infection, but the financial impact of these protocols is unknown. Our objective was to determine the differential cost of post–COVID-19 RTP protocols for competitive collegiate athletes. Methods This multicenter retrospective cohort study of clinical evaluation of 295 athletes after COVID-19 infection was performed at four institutions with three RTP protocols. Costs were calculated using adjusted Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services pricing. All athletes underwent electrocardiogram and clinical evaluation. A tiered approach performed cardiac imaging and biomarker analysis for major symptoms. A universal transthoracic echocardiogram (TTE) approach performed TTE and biomarkers for all athletes. A universal exercise stress echocardiogram (ESE) approach performed ESE and biomarkers for all athletes. Results The cost per athlete was $632.51 ± 651.80 ($44,908 total) in tiered group ( n = 71), $1,072.30 ± 517.93 ($87,928 total) in the universal TTE group ( n = 82), and $1357.38 ± 757.05 ($192,748 total) in the universal ESE group ( n = 142) ( P 〈 0.001). Extrapolated national costs for collegiate athletes would be $39 to 64 million higher for universal imaging approaches versus a tiered approach. Only seven athletes had probable/possible myocarditis with no significant difference between approaches. Conclusions Cardiac screening in collegiate athletes after COVID-19 infection resulted in significant cost to the health care system. A tiered-based approach was more economical, and a universal exercise echocardiogram group detected slightly more myocardial abnormalities by cardiac magnetic resonance imaging. The clinical consequences of these approaches are unknown.
Type of Medium:
Online Resource
ISSN:
1530-0315
,
0195-9131
DOI:
10.1249/MSS.0000000000002896
Language:
English
Publisher:
Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health)
Publication Date:
2022
detail.hit.zdb_id:
2031167-9
SSG:
31
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