MedStar Health Research Institute, Baltimore, MD.
Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2018 Mar;50(3):486-493. doi: 10.1249/MSS.0000000000001466.
Previous research identified decreased overall and cardiovascular mortality for National Football League (NFL) players from the 1959-1988 era. The present study explored the mortality risk among recent NFL players who played in an era of heavier linemen and nearly year-round physical conditioning.
This cohort study included 9778 former NFL players with at least 1 yr in the NFL whose last season was between 1986 and 2012. Players' pension fund records were matched to the National Death Index to determine vital status, date of death, and cause of death. Standardized mortality ratios (SMR) compared player mortality through 2014 with US men of the same age, race, and calendar year. Cox proportional hazards models assessed the effect of player characteristics on overall and cardiovascular mortality.
Two percent (n = 227) of players were deceased, with a median age at death of 38 yr (range, 23-61 yr). The most common major causes of death were diseases of the heart (n = 47; 21%), violence (n = 39; 17%), and transportation injuries (n = 34; 15%). Risk of death was significantly lower than the general population for overall mortality (SMR, 0.46, 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.40-0.52), cardiovascular disease (SMR, 0.65; 95% CI, 0.50-0.84), and other major causes. Players with playing-time body mass index (BMI) of >35 kg·m had significantly higher cardiovascular disease mortality (SMR, 2.20; 95% CI, 1.32-3.44) than did the general population and higher overall mortality risk (standardized rate ratio, 3.84; 95% CI, 2.66-5.54) than did players with a BMI of <30 kg·m.
Consistent with an earlier NFL cohort and other elite athlete populations, the overall and cardiovascular mortality risk of this NFL cohort was significantly lower than that of the general US male population, likely attributable to a healthy worker effect and less smoking.However, players with the highest playing-time BMI exhibited elevated cardiovascular mortality risk.
先前的研究表明，1959-1988 年期间的美国国家橄榄球联盟（NFL）球员的总死亡率和心血管死亡率均有所下降。本研究探讨了在更重的前锋和几乎全年进行身体调节的时代打球的最近 NFL 球员的死亡风险。
本队列研究纳入了 9778 名至少在 NFL 效力 1 年的前 NFL 球员，他们的最后一个赛季在 1986 年至 2012 年之间。通过 NFL 球员的养老金基金记录与国家死亡指数相匹配，以确定生存状态、死亡日期和死因。通过与同龄、同种族和同历年的美国男性进行标准化死亡率比（SMR）比较，评估球员死亡率。Cox 比例风险模型评估了球员特征对全因和心血管死亡率的影响。
2%（n=227）的球员已经死亡，死亡时的中位年龄为 38 岁（范围，23-61 岁）。最常见的主要死因是心脏病（n=47；21%）、暴力（n=39；17%）和交通伤害（n=34；15%）。总体死亡率（SMR，0.46，95%置信区间[CI]，0.40-0.52）、心血管疾病（SMR，0.65；95%CI，0.50-0.84）和其他主要原因的死亡风险显著低于普通人群。与普通人群相比，体时 BMI 大于 35kg·m2 的球员的心血管疾病死亡率（SMR，2.20；95%CI，1.32-3.44）显著更高，体时 BMI 小于 30kg·m2 的球员的全因死亡率风险也更高（标准化率比，3.84；95%CI，2.66-5.54）。
与早期的 NFL 队列和其他精英运动员群体一致，该 NFL 队列的总体和心血管死亡率风险明显低于美国普通男性人群，这可能归因于健康工人效应和吸烟减少。然而，体时 BMI 最高的球员表现出更高的心血管死亡风险。
