Abstract
Background
Previously, we had demonstrated that the World Cup Soccer 2006 provoked levels of emotional stress sufficient to increase the incidence of acute cardiovascular events. We sought to assess whether mortality was also increased as a result.
Method
We analyzed daily data on mortality due to myocardial infarction (MI) and total mortality using data from the Bavarian State Office for Statistics. We retrospectively assessed study periods from 2006, 2005 and 2003. Quasi-Poisson regression with a log link to model the number of daily deaths was used. To be able to account for a possible delay, we also fitted a cubic distributed lag quasi-Poisson model for both 1 and 2 weeks post-exposure.
Results
A total of 6,699 deaths due to MI were investigated. No increase in death was found on days of World Cup matches either with or without German participation compared to the matched control periods. In addition, none of the analyses showed a significant effect of the (lagged) exposure to the risk period. Likewise, total mortality rates remained unchanged over the entire period of our analysis.
Conclusion
During World Cup Soccer, the number of deaths due to myocardial infarction was not measurably increased compared to a matched control period. Thus, we could not demonstrate a translation of a stress-induced increase of cardiac morbidity into a noticeable increase in mortality. However, our findings are based on a public mortality registry, which may be flawed in many ways, regarding ascertainment of causes of death, in particular.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Berthier F, Boulay F (2003) Lower myocardial infarction mortality in French men the day France won the 1998 World Cup of football. Heart 89:555–556
Brunekreef B, Hoek G (2002) No association between major football games and cardiovascular mortality. Epidemiology 13:491–492
Bundesamt für Statistik (2006) Gesundheitsberichterstattung des Bundes
Foundation for Statistical Computing V-a (2009) A language and environment for statistical computing. Foundation for Statistical Computing http://www.R-project.org
Kirkup W, Merrick DW (2003) A matter of life and death: population mortality and football results. J Epidemiol Community Health 57:429–432
Leeka J, Schwartz BG, Kloner RA (2010) Sporting events affect spectators’ cardiovascular mortality: it is not just a game. Am J Med 123:972–977
Toubiana L, Hanslik T, Letrilliart L (2001) French cardiovascular mortality did not increase during 1996 European football championship. BMJ 322:1306
Welty LJ, Peng RD, Zeger SL, Dominici F (2009) Bayesian distributed lag models: estimating effects of particulate matter air pollution on daily mortality. Biometrics 65:282–291
Wilbert-Lampen U, Leistner D, Greven S, Pohl T, Sper S, Volker C, Guthlin D, Plasse A, Knez A, Kuchenhoff H, Steinbeck G (2008) Cardiovascular events during World Cup Soccer. N Engl J Med 358:475–483
Wilbert-Lampen U, Nickel T, Leistner D, Guthlin D, Matis T, Volker C, Sper S, Kuchenhoff H, Kaab S, Steinbeck G (2010) Modified serum profiles of inflammatory and vasoconstrictive factors in patients with emotional stress-induced acute coronary syndrome during World Cup Soccer 2006. J Am Coll Cardiol 55:637–642
Witte DR, Bots ML, Hoes AW, Grobbee DE (2000) Cardiovascular mortality in Dutch men during 1996 European football championship: longitudinal population study. BMJ 321:1552–1554
Conflict of interest
None.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Wilbert-Lampen, U., Nickel, T., Scheipl, F. et al. Mortality due to myocardial infarction in the Bavarian population during World Cup Soccer 2006. Clin Res Cardiol 100, 731–736 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00392-011-0302-7
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00392-011-0302-7