Selden Michael A, Helzberg John H, Waeckerle Joseph F
University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine, Kansas City, MO 64111, USA.
Am J Med. 2009 Sep;122(9):811-4. doi: 10.1016/j.amjmed.2009.03.027.
Present data about the increased incidence of early cardiovascular disease and mortality in National Football League (NFL) players is conflicting. These findings are particularly concerning given the escalating weight of current football players at the high school, collegiate, and professional levels. Recent studies have confirmed that heavier former NFL linemen have an increased prevalence of cardiovascular disease compared with an age- and sex-matched reference population. Former linemen had a higher prevalence of obesity, lower high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, increased left ventricular mass and left atrial area, and the metabolic syndrome, compared with nonlinemen. There have been sparse data on the cardiovascular health of current players. A recent analysis of one team demonstrated that the cardiometabolic syndrome and its individual components were significantly more common in linemen versus nonlinemen. Because current heavier NFL players already have evidence of the cardiometabolic syndrome and its individual markers, careful medical evaluation of former and active players is warranted to reduce their risks. This medically and ethically indicated intervention, however, might limit interpretation of future longitudinal studies designed to assess mortality endpoints.
目前有关美国国家橄榄球联盟（NFL）球员早期心血管疾病发病率增加和死亡率上升的数据相互矛盾。鉴于高中、大学和职业水平的现役橄榄球运动员体重不断增加，这些发现尤其令人担忧。最近的研究证实，与年龄和性别匹配的参照人群相比，体重较重的前NFL线卫患心血管疾病的患病率更高。与非线卫相比，前NFL线卫肥胖患病率更高、高密度脂蛋白胆固醇水平更低、左心室质量和左心房面积增加，且代谢综合征更为常见。关于现役球员心血管健康的数据一直很少。最近对一支球队的分析表明，与非线卫相比，线卫中心血管代谢综合征及其各个组成部分明显更为常见。由于目前体重较重的NFL球员已经有心血管代谢综合征及其各个指标的证据迹象，因此有必要对退役和现役球员进行仔细的医学评估，以降低他们的风险。然而，这种出于医学和伦理考虑的干预措施可能会限制旨在评估死亡终点的未来纵向研究的解释。
