Arrhythmias & electrophysiology
Prevalence and Outcomes of Competitive Athletes From the United States With Electrocardiographic Athletic Anterior Early Repolarization
Authors' conclusion
Athletic anterior ERP appears to be a benign finding irrespective of racial and/or ethnic constructs. Race-based terminology for competitive athletes with this ECG pattern should be avoided.
Study context
- Population
- U.S. competitive athletes undergoing screening ECGs, age range 15 to 25 yearsECGs reviewed · Black athletes 1,203 [19.5%] · non-Black athletes 4,974 [80.5%]
- Participants
- 6,177 athletes
- Exposure
- Prevalence and outcomes of athletic anterior early repolarization pattern (ERP) in Black and non-Black athletes
- Black athletesn = 1,203
- non-Black athletesn = 4,974
- Outcome
- Prevalence of athletic anterior ERP
Methodological detailsmulticenter, four U.S. clinical sites, 1993-2025
- Multicenter
- Four U.S. clinical sites
- 1993-2025
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
- Overall athletes with athletic anterior ERP
- 47
- Overall prevalence
- 0.76% [95% CI: 0.50% to 1.01%]
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Racial and/or ethnic distribution among non-Black athletes with athletic anterior ERP
- White
- N = 12, 50%
- Asian
- N = 5, 20%
- Hispanic
- N = 5, 20%
- Asian and White
- N = 1, 4%
- Middle-Eastern
- N = 1, 4%
Athletic anterior ERP by sport type
- More common in sports with higher endurance and strength demands
Adverse cardiovascular events · 177 athlete-years of follow-up
- No adverse cardiovascular events
Structural cardiac pathology or cardiomyopathy on cardiac imaging among non-Black athletes with ERP
- Non-Black athletes who proceeded with cardiac imaging
- N = 18/24, 75%
- No structural cardiac pathology or cardiomyopathy reported
Original publication
Prevalence and Outcomes of Competitive Athletes From the United States With Electrocardiographic Athletic Anterior Early Repolarization. JACC Adv. Published 25 August 2025. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →