A career in sport does not eliminate risk of cardiovascular disease; A systematic review and meta-analysis of the cardiovascular health of field-based athletes

McHugh, Cliodhna; Hind, Karen; Cunningham, Joyce; Davey, Daniel; Wilson, Fiona

Abstract

Objectives: To determine the prevalence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors in current field-based athletes. Design: Meta-analysis. Methods: This review was conducted and reported in accordance with PRISMA and pre-registered with PROSPERO. Articles were retrieved via online database search engines, with no date or language restriction. Studies investigating current field-based athletes (>18years) for CVD risk factors according to the European Society of Cardiology and American Heart Association were screened. Full texts were screened using Covidence and Cochrane criteria. Eligible articles were critically appraised using the AXIS tool. Individual study estimates were assessed by random-effect meta-analyses to examine the overall effect. Results: This study was ascribed a 1b evidence level, according to the Oxford Centre for Evidence-based Medicine. 41 studies were identified, including 5,546 athletes from four sports; American football; soccer; rugby and baseball (mean ages:18-28). Despite participation in sport, increased body mass was associated with increased total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein, triglycerides, hypertension, systolic blood pressure, and decreased high-density lipoprotein. Linemen had increased prevalence of hypertension compared to non-athletes. Conflicting findings on fasting glucose were prevalent. There were inconsistencies in screening and reporting of CVD risk factors. Sport specific anthropometric demands were associated with elevated prevalence of CVD risk factors, most notably: elevated body mass; dyslipidemia; elevated systolic blood pressure and; glucose Conclusions: There are elevated levels of risk for CVD in some athletes, primarily football players. Lifestyle behaviours associated with elite athleticism, particularly football linemen potentially expose players to greater metabolic and CVD risk, which is not completely offset by sport participation.

Citation

McHugh, C., Hind, K., Cunningham, J., Davey, D., & Wilson, F. (2020). A career in sport does not eliminate risk of cardiovascular disease; A systematic review and meta-analysis of the cardiovascular health of field-based athletes. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, 23(9), 792-799. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsams.2020.02.009

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Feb 16, 2020
• Online Publication Date: Feb 21, 2020
• Publication Date: 2020-09
• Deposit Date: Feb 11, 2020
• Publicly Available Date: Feb 21, 2021
• Journal: Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport
• Print ISSN: 1440-2440
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 23
• Issue: 9
• Pages: 792-799
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsams.2020.02.009
• Public URL: https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1277842