Associations of cardiovascular disease morbidity and mortality in the populations watching major football tournaments: A systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies.

Abstract

Whether or not increased hospitalizations and/or deaths due to cardiovascular disease during major football tournaments (MFTs) remains controversial. We undertook a systematic review and meta-analysis of published studies to assess the relationships of cardiovascular events and MFTs. Observational studies reporting relationship of cardiovascular disease morbidity and mortality with MFTs during the days of games or within 2 weeks after game season were included. Relative risk ratios (RR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) were pooled and analyzed using a random/fixed-effects model. Nineteen cross-sectional observational studies that examined the association between MFTs and non-fetal cardiovascular events and mortality were found to be eligible from 3419 references, for inclusion in the systematic review and meta-analysis. Of the 10 studies reported hospitalizations due to non-fetal acute cardiovascular events, the pooled RR was 1.17 (95% CI 1.01-1.36). Of the 10 studies reported cardiovascular mortality the pooled RR was 1.03 (95% CI 1.00-1.05). Of the studies examining the mortality, 6 studies reported the lost or win of the national team. Pooling of four studies where their national teams lost the MFTs produced a RR for the mortality of 1.19 (95% CI: 1.09-1.30), and 4 studies of the 6 whose national teams won produced a pooled RR for cardiovascular mortality of 0.88 (0.79-0.98). This systematic review and meta-analysis showed an increased risk of hospitalization due to non-fetal acute cardiovascular events and cardiovascular mortality with watching MFTs.