re: Doctor on why college football should commence. fwiw

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Myocarditis, a rare heart condition linked to the coronavirus, should concern the NFL as it aims to begin a season during the pandemic, according to the Baltimore Ravens’ head physician.

Dr. Andrew Tucker said evidence suggests COVID-19 can increase the risk of inflammation of the heart, which can lead to myocarditis and cause sudden cardiac arrest. Speaking to reporters Wednesday on a video conference call, Tucker said even a chiseled football star who contracted the coronavirus would have some chance of developing the condition.

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“The risk is low,” Tucker said. “But how low is a little bit premature to say because we just don’t have the data. This hasn’t been going on that long.”

Reports indicated the threat of heart inflammation played a role in the Big Ten and Pac-12 conferences announcing the cancellation of their fall sports seasons earlier this week. The Athletic’s Nicole Auerbach wrote that the Big Ten knew of at least 10 players diagnosed with myocarditis before making an announcement.

In a document meant to guide the Pac-12's path through the coronavirus crisis, a medical advisory board warned of “new and evolving information regarding potential serious cardiac side effects in athletes.”

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“It’s a concern,” said Tucker, a former president of the NFL Physicians’ Society. “Myocarditis is one of the rare causes of sudden cardiac arrest in our athletes and it is usually caused by a virus that causes inflammation in the heart. It is very rare, fortunately, but it can happen and it can happen theoretically with any virus, but certain viruses tend to make it more likely. Unfortunately, COVID has proven early on to be a virus that tends to involve the heart.”

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