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Background--Ascending aortic dimensions are slightly larger in young competitive athletes compared with sedentary controls, but rarely >40 mm. Whether this finding translates to aortic enlargement in older, former athletes is unknown. Methods and Results--This cross-sectional study involved a sample of 206 former National Football League (NFL) athletes compared with 759 male subjects from the DHS-2 (Dallas Heart Study-2; mean age of 57.1 and 53.6 years, respectively, P<0.0001; body surface area of 2.4 and 2.1 m², respectively, P<0.0001). Midascending aortic dimensions were obtained from computed tomographic scans performed as part of a NFL screening protocol or as part of the DHS. Compared with a population-based control group, former NFL athletes had significantly larger ascending aortic diameters (38±5 versus 34±4 mm; P<0.0001). A significantly higher proportion of former NFL athletes had an aorta of >40 mm (29.6% versus 8.6%; P<0.0001). After adjusting for age, race, body surface area, systolic blood pressure, history of hypertension, current smoking, diabetes mellitus, and lipid profile, the former NFL athletes still had significantly larger ascending aortas (P<0.0001). Former NFL athletes were twice as likely to have an aorta >40 mm after adjusting for the same parameters. Conclusions--Ascending aortic dimensions were significantly larger in a sample of former NFL athletes after adjusting for their size, age, race, and cardiac risk factors. Whether this translates to an increased risk is unknown and requires further evaluation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers insights on the research regarding National Football League (NFL) teams that employ pregame hyperhydration with the use of intravenous fluid (IVF). It mentions the survey conducted which shows that 75 percent of NFL teams employ pregame hyperhydration. Furthermore, the need to determine the true efficacy of the hyperhydration process due to its potential complications is discussed.

Purpose: 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., Methods: 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., Results: 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., Conclusions: 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.

In Pennsylvania on February 16, 2006, a New York City resident collapsed with rigors and was hospitalized. On February 21, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene were notified that Bacillus anthracis had been identified in the patient's blood. Although the patient's history of working with dried animal hides to make African drums indicated the likelihood of a natural exposure to aerosolized anthrax spores, bioterrorism had to be ruled out first. Ultimately, this case proved to be the first case of naturally occurring inhalational anthrax in 30 years. This article describes the epidemiologic and environmental investigation to identify other cases and persons at risk and to determine the source of exposure and scope of contamination. Because stricter regulation of the importation of animal hides from areas where anthrax is enzootic is difficult, public healthcare officials should consider the possibility of future naturally occurring anthrax cases caused by contaminated hides. Federal protocols are needed to assist in the local response, which should be tempered by our growing understanding of the epidemiology of naturally acquired anthrax. These protocols should include recommended methods for reliable and efficient environmental sample collection and laboratory testing, and environmental risk assessments and remediation.