Electrocardiographic and Echocardiographic Findings in Ghanaian Female Soccer Players

Objective: To examine the heart of Ghanaian adult and adolescent female soccer players using electrocardiography (ECG) and echocardiography (ECHO), and to describe typical ECG and ECHO findings in a cohort of west African female soccer players. Design: Cross-sectional study of ECG and ECHO performed as part of precompetition medical assessment for 3 national female football teams preparing for various Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) tournaments in 2016. Setting: Ghana National Football Association. Participants: Seventy-five female players playing for the National female football teams preparing for FIFA tournaments in 2016. Interventions: Precompetition medical assessment using ECGs and ECHOs. Main Outcome Measure: Number of athletes with abnormal ECG and ECHO findings using the International ECG Interpretation criteria. Results: Eight percent of the participants had T-wave inversions in lateral leads (V 5 –V 6 ). Voltage criteria for left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) were present in 35% of participants. A total of 2.7% of the players had LV wall thickness (LVWT) ≥12 mm with no player exceeding 13 mm. No player had LV cavity dimension greater than 60 mm. Conclusion: Ghanaian female soccer players seem to have a high prevalence of LVH and repolarization change. Although LVWT up to 12 mm might be normal in this cohort, deep T-wave inversions and LVWT ≥13 mm should always be further investigated and/or undergo a long-term follow.