Neurology：退役足球运动员患神经变性疾病风险高

最新的研究揭示了，相比一般的人群而言，职业足球运动员或许由于患大脑细胞损伤疾病如阿尔兹海默症或者肌萎缩性脊髓侧索硬化症（ALS），而携带有高风险的死亡率。相关研究成果看到登在了9月5日的国际杂志Neurology上。

这项研究包括了3439名来自国际足球联盟的运动员，这些运动员在1959至1988年期间至少打过5个赛季球赛，平均年龄为57岁。研究者同时回顾了阿尔兹海默症、帕金森以及ALS患者死亡的死亡证明。通过分析，仅仅有10%的参与者已经死亡。

这项研究揭示了专业的足球运动员相比一般的人群而言，其由于大脑细胞损伤疾病的死亡率是后者的三倍，而且由于阿尔兹海默症或者ALS的死亡风险是后者的四倍；在334个已死亡的参与者中，7人患有阿尔兹海默症，7人患有ALS疾病。帕金森疾病的死亡风险相比一般人群并没有明显差异。

为了研究这些风险是否由于足球运动员在球场上所扮演的角色不同而不同，研究者将这些参与者分成了两组，一组为处于非线性位置的球员，包括指挥者、中卫、后卫、中后卫等，另一组为线性位置的球员，包括防御性和攻击性球员。调查研究发现，非线性位置球员由于神经变性疾病死亡的比例是线性球员的3倍以上。

这项研究结果揭示了在足球运动员身上所发生的高风险的神经变性疾病，研究者Everett表示，尽管我们的研究关注了阿尔兹海默氏症和ALS引发死亡的原因，但是我们也研究了慢性损伤性脑病（CTE）或许在足球运动员身上也是主要的或者第二个原因。脑部解剖对于诊断CTE以及区分阿尔兹海默症、ALS都非常重要。当CTE进行单独诊断时，其症状就非常类似于阿尔兹海默症、帕金森疾病和ALS的相应病症。

拓展阅读：40多名退役足球运动员因神经疾病正走向死亡

编译自：NFL players may be at higher risk of death from Alzheimer's and ALS

doi:10.1212/WNL.0b013e31826daf50
PMC:
PMID:

Neurodegenerative causes of death among retired National Football League players

Everett J. Lehman, MS, Misty J. Hein, PhD, Sherry L. Baron, MD and Christine M. Gersic

Objective: To analyze neurodegenerative causes of death, specifically Alzheimer disease (AD), Parkinson disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), among a cohort of professional football players. Methods: This was a cohort mortality study of 3,439 National Football League players with at least 5 pension-credited playing seasons from 1959 to 1988. Vital status was ascertained through 2007. For analysis purposes, players were placed into 2 strata based on characteristics of position played: nonspeed players (linemen) and speed players (all other positions except punter/kicker). External comparisons with the US population used standardized mortality ratios (SMRs); internal comparisons between speed and nonspeed player positions used standardized rate ratios (SRRs). Results: Overall player mortality compared with that of the US population was reduced (SMR 0.53, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.48–0.59). Neurodegenerative mortality was increased using both underlying cause of death rate files (SMR 2.83, 95% CI 1.36–5.21) and multiple cause of death (MCOD) rate files (SMR 3.26, 95% CI 1.90–5.22). Of the neurodegenerative causes, results were elevated (using MCOD rates) for both ALS (SMR 4.31, 95% CI 1.73–8.87) and AD (SMR 3.86, 95% CI 1.55–7.95). In internal analysis (using MCOD rates), higher neurodegenerative mortality was observed among players in speed positions compared with players in nonspeed positions (SRR 3.29, 95% CI 0.92–11.7). Conclusions: The neurodegenerative mortality of this cohort is 3 times higher than that of the general US population; that for 2 of the major neurodegenerative subcategories, AD and ALS, is 4 times higher. These results are consistent with recent studies that suggest an increased risk of neurodegenerative disease among football players.