Characteristics of Sudden Cardiac Arrest in Young Athletes: A Web-Based Survey of Athletes in Japanese College Sports.

Background: Sudden death in young athletes is a serious concern, and appropriate, noninvasive, and easily implementable screening of at-risk individuals is imperative. Objectives: This study aimed to identify potential risk factors associated with sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) in collegiate athletes. Methods: In this cross-sectional observational study, we conducted an online survey of college student athletes who were part of Japanese university sports organizations associated with the Japanese Collegiate Athletic Association (UNIVAS) between June 2022 and October 2022. The questionnaire collected information on prior cardiac arrest and personal and family medical history. Results: A total of 10,861 athletes (median age: 19.9 years; female: 37.2%) answered the questionnaire. Six athletes (three males and three females) reported a history of cardiac arrest. Of the six patients, two had a history of arrhythmia and four had a history of syncope. Arrhythmia and syncope were significantly more common in athletes with SCA (p < 0.01). Similarly, a family history of heart failure, arrhythmia, or syncope was significantly more common in patients with SCA (p < 0.01), and a history of previous syncope significantly increased the odds ratio for the occurrence of SCA (odds ratio: 41.98; 95% confidence interval: 5.99-293.83, p < 0.01). Conclusions: A history of syncope significantly increases the risk of SCA in young athletes. Further research is needed to stratify the risks for SCA and create standardized protocols.