Evidence map›Paper›PMID 37534771›Full record

ArticleScandinavian journal of medicine & science in sports2023

A comparison of two pre-race medical screening tools in 5771 running race entrants-SAFER XXVIII.

Jordan Leppan, Martin Schwellnus, Nicola Sewry, Jeremy Boulter, Dina Christa Janse van Rensburg, Marlise Dyer, Esme Jordaan

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Scandinavian journal of medicine & science in sports, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. TheFrontiers in physiology · 2026
    Pooled it
  2. Article
  3. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Jordan LeppanSection Sports Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa.
Martin SchwellnusSport, Exercise Medicine and Lifestyle Institute (SEMLI), Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3647-0429
Nicola SewrySport, Exercise Medicine and Lifestyle Institute (SEMLI), Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1022-4780
Jeremy BoulterComrades Marathon, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa.
Dina Christa Janse van RensburgSection Sports Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa.
Marlise DyerSport, Exercise Medicine and Lifestyle Institute (SEMLI), Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa.
Esme JordaanBiostatistics Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC), Cape Town, South Africa.

Funding

International Olympic CommitteeSouth African Medical Research Council (SAMRC)University of Pretoria
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveTo determine if two pre-race screening tools (abbreviated tool of two open-ended pre-race medical screening questions [ABBR] vs. a full pre-race medical screening tool [FULL]) identify running race entrants at higher risk for medical encounters (MEs) on race day.

methods5771 consenting race entrants completed both an ABBR and a FULL pre-race screening questionnaire for the 2018 Comrades Marathon (90 km). ABBR tool questions were (1) allergies, and (2) known medical conditions and/or prescription medication use. The FULL tool included multiple domains of questions for chronic diseases including cardiovascular disease (CVD), symptoms, risk factors, allergies and medication use. ABBR responses were manually coded and compared to the FULL tool. The prevalence (%: 95%CI), and the test for equality of prevalence of entrants identified by the ABBR vs. FULL tool is reported.

resultsThe ABBR identified fewer entrants with allergies (ABBR = 7.9%; FULL = 10.4%: p = 0.0001) and medical conditions/medication use (ABBR = 8.9%; FULL = 27.4%: p = 0.0001). The ABBR tool significantly under-reported entrants with history of cardiovascular disease (CVD), CVD risk factors, other chronic diseases and prescription medication vs. the FULL tool (p = 0.0001). The ABBR tool identified fewer entrants in the "high" (ABBR = 3.4%; FULL = 12.4%) and "very high" risk (ABBR = 0.5%; FULL = 3.4%) categories for race day MEs (p = 0.0001).

conclusionsAn abbreviated pre-race screening tool significantly under-estimates chronic medical conditions, allergies, and race entrants at higher risk for MEs on race day, compared with a full comprehensive screening tool. We recommend that a full pre-race medical screening tool be used to identify race entrants at risk for MEs.

Indexed as

Cardiovascular DiseasesHypersensitivityRunningChronic DiseaseHumansRisk Factorsathletescardiovascular diseasemarathonmedical encounters (MEs)pre-race screeningrisk profile

Identifiers

PMID37534771
PMCPMC10946828

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.