Beyond Racial Categorization in Sports Cardiology: A Systematic Review of Cardiac Adaptations in Athletes.

ABSTRACT: Background/Objectives: Race-based cardiac screening criteria in sports cardiology, including the "Black athlete's heart" concept, assume biological distinctions that may not reflect physiological reality. This systematic review evaluates whether geographic ancestry provides more clinically relevant predictors of cardiac adaptation than racial categorization. Methods: PubMed was searched (January 2005-July 2025) for studies examining cardiac adaptations in athletes by ethnicity. Data extraction captured demographics, geographic origin, cardiac assessments, and outcomes. Narrative synthesis was employed due to methodological heterogeneity. Results: Forty-seven studies (n = 66,130) revealed substantial within-race heterogeneity. The "Black athlete repolarization va

SUBMITTER: Corsi D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12524784 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature