30% of student athletes have heart damage linked to COVID-19 – HotAir

After mapping the hearts of 26 athletes at Ohio State University using a process known as cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR), the researchers found that not only 15% of students had rare heart disease, but 30% had cell damage.

“Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging has the potential to identify a cohort at high risk for adverse outcomes and can, most importantly, stratify athletes based on risk for safe participation,” wrote the authors of the study. “Recent studies have raised concerns about myocardial inflammation after recovery from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), even in asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic patients.”

According to the researchers, “Myocarditis is a major cause of sudden cardiac death in competitive athletes.”