{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,15]],"date-time":"2026-07-15T11:14:35Z","timestamp":1784114075125,"version":"3.55.0"},"reference-count":19,"publisher":"BMJ","issue":"1","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2020,10,5]],"date-time":"2020-10-05T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1601856000000},"content-version":"unspecified","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["bmj.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Br J Sports Med"],"accepted":{"date-parts":[[2020,9,23]]},"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2021,1]]},"abstract":"<jats:sec><jats:title>Objective<\/jats:title><jats:p>During the COVID-19 pandemic, it is essential to understand if and how to screen SARS-CoV-2-positive athletes to safely resume training and competitions. The aim of this study is to understand which investigations are useful in a screening protocol aimed at protecting health but also avoiding inappropriate examinations.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title><jats:p>We conducted a cohort study of a professional soccer team that is based on an extensive screening protocol for resuming training during the COVID-19 pandemic. It included personal history, antigen swabs, blood tests, spirometry, resting\/stress-test ECG with oxygen saturation monitoring, echocardiogram, Holter and chest CT. We also compared the findings with prior data from the same subjects before infection and with data from SARS-CoV-2-negative players.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Results<\/jats:title><jats:p>None of the players had positive swab and\/or anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgM class antibodies. Out of 30 players, 18 (60%) had IgG class antibodies. None had suffered severe SARS-CoV-2-related disease, 12 (66.7%) had complained of mild COVID-19-related symptoms and 6 (33.3%) were asymptomatic. None of the players we examined revealed significant cardiovascular abnormalities after clinical recovery. A mild reduction in spirometry parameters versus pre-COVID-19 values was observed in all athletes, but it was statistically significant (p&lt;0.05) only in SARS-CoV-2-positive athletes. One SARS-CoV-2-positive player showed increased troponin I level, but extensive investigation did not show signs of myocardial damage.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Conclusion<\/jats:title><jats:p>In this small cohort of athletes with previous asymptomatic\/mild SARS-CoV-2 infection, a comprehensive screening protocol including blood tests, spirometry, resting ECG, stress-test ECG with oxygen saturation monitoring and echocardiogram did not identify relevant anomalies. While larger studies are needed, extensive cardiorespiratory and haematological screening in athletes with asymptomatic\/mild SARS-CoV-2 infection appears unnecessary.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1136\/bjsports-2020-102789","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2020,10,5]],"date-time":"2020-10-05T21:25:39Z","timestamp":1601933139000},"page":"54-61","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1136\/crossmarkpolicy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":64,"title":["Is extensive cardiopulmonary screening useful in athletes with previous asymptomatic or mild SARS-CoV-2 infection?"],"prefix":"10.1136","volume":"55","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-8933-6955","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Salvatore Francesco","family":"Gervasi","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Luca","family":"Pengue","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Luca","family":"Damato","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Riccardo","family":"Monti","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Silvia","family":"Pradella","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Tommaso","family":"Pirronti","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Alessandro","family":"Bartoloni","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Francesco","family":"Epifani","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Alessio","family":"Saggese","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Francesco","family":"Cuccaro","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Massimiliano","family":"Bianco","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Paolo","family":"Zeppilli","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Vincenzo","family":"Palmieri","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"239","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2020,10,5]]},"reference":[{"key":"2024101110352269000_55.1.54.1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1001\/jamacardio.2020.2136","article-title":"A game plan for the resumption of sport and exercise after coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection","author":"Phelan","year":"2020","journal-title":"JAMA Cardiol"},{"key":"2024101110352269000_55.1.54.2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1136\/bjsports-2020-102516"},{"key":"2024101110352269000_55.1.54.3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jacc.2020.03.031"},{"key":"2024101110352269000_55.1.54.4","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ajem.2020.04.048"},{"key":"2024101110352269000_55.1.54.5","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1136\/bjsports-2018-100293"},{"key":"2024101110352269000_55.1.54.6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"230","DOI":"10.1016\/j.hrthm.2019.08.022","article-title":"Role of extensive diagnostic workup in young athletes and nonathletes with complex ventricular arrhythmias","volume":"17","author":"Narducci","year":"2020","journal-title":"Heart Rhythm"},{"key":"2024101110352269000_55.1.54.7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"99","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ijcard.2018.11.099","article-title":"Coronary atherosclerosis in apparently healthy master athletes discovered during pre-PARTECIPATION screening. 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