Rugby Player’s Aorta: Alarming Prevalence of Ascending Aortic Dilatation and Effacement in Elite Rugby Players

Background Prompted by a cluster of observations concerning ascending aortic pathology in elite rugby players, we assessed over 150 asymptomatic predominantly retired players with echocardiography, aiming to document the prevalence and severity of ascending aortic dilatation and/or anterior aortic effacement, both ‘risk factors’ for potentially catastrophic aortic complications. Methods Rugby players (at least 5 years of high level competitive...