Electrocardiographic findings in athletes with or without TWI
| Characteristics | Overall n=2261 | Normal T waves n=2125 | TWI n=136 | p Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heart rate (bpm, mean±SD) | 68.7±12.7 (37–110) | 67.2±10.2 (37–110) | 77.2±3.5 (47–102) | <0.0001 |
| PR interval (ms, mean±SD) | 137±27.1 (80–210) | 137±27 (80–210) | 133±2.4 (80–170) | 0.19 |
| QRS duration (ms, mean±SD) | 91.1±10.4 (80–150) | 91.2±10.4 (80–150) | 88.8±10 (80–145) | 0.003 |
| QTc (ms, mean±SD) | 396±21.0 (307–510) | 396±21 (307–510) | 397±19 (356–440) | 0.46 |
| QRS axis, degrees, mean±SD | 61.2 ±25.0 (−80–140) | 61.2±25 (−80–140) | 58±26 (−15–91) | 0.37 |
| Common/training-related abnormalities, n (%) | ||||
| Early repolarisation pattern | 853 (37.7) | 372 (16.4) | 481 (21.3) | 0.09 |
| Isolated LVH Sokolow–Lyon criteria* | 609 (26.9) | 219 (9.7) | 390 (17.2) | 0.07 |
| Isolated LVH Romhilt criteria† | 69 (3.1) | 67 (3.1) | 2 (1.5) | 0.19 |
| Sinus bradycardia | 534 (23.6) | 517 (24.3) | 17 (12.5) | 0.04 |
| Incomplete RBBB | 355 (15.7) | 287 (12.7) | 68 (3.0) | 0.07 |
| First degree atrio-ventricular block | 10 (04) | 8 (0.38) | 0 (0) | 0.34 |
| Uncommon/training-unrelated abnormalities, n (%) | ||||
| TWI | 136 (6.0) | 0 (0) | 136 (100) | – |
| QRS axis deviation‡ | 26 (1.1) | 25 (1.2) | 1 (0.7) | 0.22 |
| Left anterior hemiblock | 9 (0.4) | 9 (0.4) | 0 (0) | 0.364 |
| Complete RBBB | 4 (0.2) | 3 (0.14) | 1 (0.7) | 0.44 |
| Ventricular pre-excitation | 3 (0.1) | 2 (0.09) | 1 (0.7) | 0.65 |
| Brugada-like early repolarisation | 2 (0.1) | 2 (0.09) | 0 (0) | 0.644 |
| Q wave in infero-lateral leads | 1 (0.04) | 0 (0) | 1 (0.7) | 0.735 |
| Long QT interval | 1 (0.04) | 1 (0.05) | 0 (0) | 0.879 |
Data ranges are presented in parentheses.
*Sokolow–Lyon criteria:16 RV1+SV5 >35 mm.
†Romhilt criteria:17 RV2+SV5-V6 > 40 mm.
‡Left (≤–30°) or right (≥+120°) axis deviation.
LVH, LV hypertrophy; QTc, corrected QT interval; RBBB, right bundle branch block; TWI, T wave inversion.