Genetic Testing by Sports Medicine Physicians in the United States: Attitudes, Experiences, and Knowledge
Abstract
1. Introduction
2. Materials and Methods
2.1. Participants
2.2. Survey
2.3. Data Analysis
2.4. Collapsed Variables
3. Results
4. Discussion
5. Conclusions
Author Contributions
Funding
Acknowledgments
Conflicts of Interest
Abbreviations
AAP | American Academy of Pediatrics |
AMSSM | American Medical Society for Sports Medicine |
Apoe4 | Apolipoprotein E4 |
ASH | American Society of Hematology |
ACE II | Angiotensin Converting Enzyme 2 |
ACTN3 | Alpha-Actinin 3 |
CAP | College of American Pathologists |
COL1A1 | Collagen, Type I, Alpha 1 |
DTC | Direct to Consumer |
EHI | Exertional Health Illness |
HCM | Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy |
LQTS | Long QT Syndrome |
NATA | National Athletic Trainers’ Association |
SACHDNC | Secretary’s Advisory Committee on Heritable Disorders in Newborns and Children |
NCAA | National Collegiate Athletic Association |
REDCAP | Research Electronic Data Capture |
SCT | Sickle Cell Trait |
US | United States |
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Characteristic/Experience | n (% *) |
---|---|
Gender (N = 205) | |
Male | 151 (74) |
Female | 54 (26) |
Ethnicity (N = 211) | |
White | 182 (86) |
Asian | 12 (6) |
Hispanic/Latino | 6 (3) |
Mixed | 5 (2) |
Black | 4 (2) |
Other | 2 (1) |
Type of Residency Training (N = 212) | |
Family Medicine | 149 (70) |
Pediatrics | 25 (12) |
Internal Medicine | 17 (8) |
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation | 11 (5) |
Emergency Medicine | 8 (4) |
Med/Peds | 2 (1) |
Additional Training After Residency (N = 208 **) | |
Sports Medicine Fellowship | 187 (90) |
Other Fellowship | 7 (3) |
Masters/PhD | 8 (4) |
No Additional Training | 15 (7) |
Years in Practice (N = 207) | |
Still in Training | 17 (8) |
0 to <10 years in practice | 96 (46) |
10 years or greater | 94 (45) |
Served as Team Physician for High School Sports Team (N = 210) | 199 (95) |
Served as Team Physician for a College Sports Team (N = 215) | 190 (88) |
Served as Team physician for a Professional Sports Team (N = 215) | 86 (40) |
Have you sought out DTC genetic testing for yourself? (N = 211) | |
No | 197 (94) |
Yes, generic genetic testing | 11 (5) |
Yes, sports-specific genetic testing | 3 (1) |
Have you sought out DTC genetic testing for your children? (N = 187) | |
No | 187 (100) |
Yes | 0 (0) |
Survey Question | n (% *) |
---|---|
Overall knowledge about genetic testing (N = 215) | |
Minimal | 122 (57) |
Moderate | 89 (41) |
Significant | 4 (2) |
“Is the use of multiplex genetic testing to influence which sport a potential athlete pursues ready for prime time?” (N = 212) | |
No | 207 (98) |
Yes | 5 (2) |
“Is the use of multiplex genetic testing to influence an athlete’s training program ready for prime time?” (N = 211) | |
No | 185 (88) |
Yes | 26 (12) |
Number of requests for athletic-performance-related genetic testing, excluding sickle cell trait, in the past year: (N = 209) | |
Zero | 172 (82) |
One to less than 10 times | 35 (17) |
Ten to less than 50 times | 2 (1) |
Number of requests to review results of direct-to-consumer genetic testing for sports performance: (N = 210) | |
Zero | 165 (79) |
One to less than 10 times | 41 (20) |
Ten to less than 50 times | 3 (1) |
Fifty or greater times | 1 (1) |
Survey Question | n (% *) |
---|---|
Level of knowledge about sickle cell trait genetic testing (N = 213) | |
Minimal | 33 (16) |
Moderate | 102 (48) |
Significant | 75 (35) |
Expert | 3 (1) |
Have you ever been asked to do genetic testing to evaluate a patient for sickle cell trait? (N = 215) | |
Yes | 137 (64) |
Yes. Referred to genetic counselor. | 8 (4) |
No | 70 (33) |
Is it appropriate to counsel/test children for sickle cell trait? (N = 214) | |
Yes, any child | 82 (38) |
Yes, but only with family history | 94 (44) |
No | 30 (14) |
Don’t know | 8 (4) |
Do you support the NCAA policy of screening student athletes for sickle cell trait? (N = 211) | |
Yes | 142 (67) |
No | 64 (30) |
Not aware of the policy | 5 (2) |
Would you recommend changes in sports participation based on the results of sickle cell trait testing? (N = 213) | |
Yes | 110 (52) |
No | 95 (45) |
Don’t know enough | 8 (4) |
Top 3 methods used to confirm sickle cell trait status for athletes: (N = 205) | (%) |
Hemoglobin electrophoresis | (37) |
Sickledex | (31) |
Newborn blood spot result | (19) |
Survey Question | n (% *) |
---|---|
Level of knowledge about Apoe4 variant testing (N = 215) | |
Minimal | 155 (72) |
Moderate | 50 (23) |
Significant | 10 (5) |
Expert | 0 (0) |
Have you ever been asked to do genetic testing to evaluate a patient for Apoe4? (N = 215) | |
No | 198 (92) |
Yes | 10 (5) |
Yes. Referred to genetic counselor. | 7 (3) |
Is it appropriate to counsel/test children for Apoe4 variants? (N = 213) | |
No | 111 (52) |
Yes, any child | 9 (4) |
Yes, but only with family history | 41 (19) |
Don’t know | 52 (24) |
Would you do Apoe4 testing after a patient suffers a concussion to inform their decision about continued sports participation? (N = 208) | |
No | 146 (70) |
Yes, but only if the patient/parent requested testing | 56 (27) |
Yes, I would recommend | 6 (3) |
Would you recommend changes in sports participation based on Apoe4 findings? (N = 211) | |
No | 81 (38) |
Yes | 23 (11) |
Don’t know Enough | 107 (51) |
Would Apoe4 test results change your return-to-play recommendations following a concussion? (N = 199) | |
No | 163 (82) |
Yes | 36 (18) |
Survey Question | Connective Tissue Disorders | HCM | LQTS | Cardiac Arrhythmia | COL1A1 Variants | ACE II Variants | ACTN3 Variants |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Have you ever been asked to do genetic testing to evaluate a patient for conditions/traits/genetic variants that may affect sports performance or injury risk? (% Yes) | 45 | 36 | 20 | 18 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
Do you think it is appropriate to counsel/test children interested in sports for the following conditions/traits/genetic variants? (% Yes) | 73 | 82 | 77 | 66 | 18 | 14 | 13 |
Would you recommend changes in sports participation based on findings in any of the following? (% Yes) | NA | NA | NA | NA | 4 | 2 | 2 |
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Taranto, E.; Fishman, M.; Benjamin, H.; Ross, L. Genetic Testing by Sports Medicine Physicians in the United States: Attitudes, Experiences, and Knowledge. Sports 2018, 6, 145. https://doi.org/10.3390/sports6040145
Taranto E, Fishman M, Benjamin H, Ross L. Genetic Testing by Sports Medicine Physicians in the United States: Attitudes, Experiences, and Knowledge. Sports. 2018; 6(4):145. https://doi.org/10.3390/sports6040145
Chicago/Turabian StyleTaranto, Eleanor, Michael Fishman, Holly Benjamin, and Lainie Ross. 2018. "Genetic Testing by Sports Medicine Physicians in the United States: Attitudes, Experiences, and Knowledge" Sports 6, no. 4: 145. https://doi.org/10.3390/sports6040145
APA StyleTaranto, E., Fishman, M., Benjamin, H., & Ross, L. (2018). Genetic Testing by Sports Medicine Physicians in the United States: Attitudes, Experiences, and Knowledge. Sports, 6(4), 145. https://doi.org/10.3390/sports6040145