Mortality from mental disorders and suicide in male professional American football and soccer players: A meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the risk of mortality from mental disorders and suicide in professional sports associated with repeated head impacts. METHODS: A systematic search was performed in PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and SPORTDiscus (since inception to June 8, 2021) to find studies comparing the incidence of mortality from mental disorders or suicide in former or active professional athletes of sports characterized by repeated head impacts vs athletes with no such exposure or the general non-athletic population. RESULTS: Seven retrospective studies of moderate-to-high quality that included data from boxers and from basketball, ice hockey, soccer, and National Football League (NFL) players, respectively (total = 27 477 athletes, 100% male) met all inclusion criteria. Former male NFL players (n = 13 217) had a lower risk of mortality from mental disorders (standard mortality rate [SMR] = 0.30; 0.12-0.77; p = 0.012) and suicide (SMR = 0.54; 0.37-0.78; p < 0.001) than the general population. This finding was also corroborated in male soccer players (n = 13,065; SMR = 0.55; 0.46-0.67; p < 0.001). Male athletes participating in sports associated with repeated head impacts (n = 18,606) had also a lower risk of all-cause, cardiovascular disease (CVD), and cancer mortality (all p < 0.01) than the general population. CONCLUSIONS: Participation of male athletes in American football or soccer at the professional level might confer a certain protective effect against mortality from mental disorders or suicide, besides its association with a lower risk of all-cause, CVD, or cancer-related mortality.

Exercise capacity is associated with endothelin-1 release during emotional excitement in coronary artery disease patients.

Endothelin-1 (ET-1), a potent vasoconstrictor, IL-6, and catecholamines are increased and heart rate variability [SD of normal to normal R-R intervals (SDNN)] decreased during emotional excitement, but individual responses vary. We tested the hypothesis that exercise capacity is associated with physiological responses caused by real-life emotional excitement. We measured the plasma levels of ET-1, IL-6, catecholamines, heart rate, and SDNN in enthusiastic male ice hockey spectators (n = 51; age, 59 ± 9 years) with stable coronary artery disease (CAD) at baseline and during the Finnish National Ice Hockey League's final play-off matches. Maximal exercise capacity (METs) by bicycle exercise test and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) were measured on a separate day. ET-1 response from baseline to emotional excitement correlated with maximal METs (r = -0.30; P = 0.040). In a linear stepwise regression analysis age, body mass index (BMI), METs, LVEF, basal ET-1, and subjective experience of excitement were entered the model as independent variables to explain ET-1 response. This model explained 27% of ET-1 response (P = 0.003). Maximal METs were most strongly correlated with ET-1 response (ß = -0.45; partial correlation r = -0.43; P = 0.002), followed by BMI (ß = -0.31; partial correlation r = -0.31; P = 0.033) and LVEF (ß = -0.30; partial correlation r = -0.33; P = 0.023). Exercise capacity may protect against further cardiovascular events in CAD patients, because it is associated with reduced ET-1 release during emotional excitement.

Sporting events affect spectators' cardiovascular mortality: it is not just a game.

Physiologic and clinical triggers, including mental stress, anxiety, and anger, often precipitate acute myocardial infarction and cardiovascular death. Sporting events can acutely increase cardiovascular event and death rates. A greater impact is observed in patients with known coronary artery disease and when stressful features are present, including a passionate fan, a high-stakes game, a high-intensity game, a loss, and a loss played at home. Sporting events affect cardiovascular health through neuroendocrine responses and possibly an increase in high-risk behaviors. Acute mental stress increases the activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical axis and the sympathetic-adrenal-medullary system while impairing vagal tone and endothelial function. Collectively, these mechanisms increase myocardial oxygen demand and decrease myocardial oxygen supply while also increasing the risk of arrhythmias and thrombosis. Measures can be taken to reduce cardiovascular risk, including the use of beta-blockers and aspirin, stress management, transcendental meditation, and avoidance of high-risk activities, such as smoking, eating fatty foods, overeating, and abusing alcohol and illicit drugs. Sporting events have the potential to adversely affect spectators' cardiovascular health, and protective measures should be considered.

Influence of the ice-hockey environment on taking up snuff: an interview study among young males.

In Sweden, snuff-use is an established and accepted phenomenon in society, especially in connection with certain sports. The aim of this qualitative study was to analyze and describe the psychosocial environment influencing young male ice-hockey players into starting to use snuff. The study sample comprised 16 male participants between 15 and 32 years of age strategically selected for being active or having been active as ice-hockey players--snuff-users and non-users alike. A grounded theory design, including in-depth interviews, was used to generate a theory from data and thereby create theoretical concepts explaining social phenomena, human behavior, and process. An interview guide containing different themes was used to cover the study area. Five higher-order categories were developed and labeled: having a role model, residing in a consenting environment, experiencing performance demands, experiencing a sense of community and creating an image. Socialization in and through psychosocial norms of the ice-hockey environment was identified as a core category describing the central meaning of the informants' experiences of snuff in the ice-hockey environment. In the present study, the identified categories that integrate within the environment in which the young people reside and pursue their sports activities have been interpreted as factors enhancing the commencement of snuff-use. We suggest health promotion activities within the ice-hockey environment based on a health psychology model of planned behavior.