ArticleEuropean journal of epidemiology2005
Proportionate mortality of Italian soccer players: is amyotrophic lateral sclerosis an occupational disease?
Article in European journal of epidemiology, 2005. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 49 papers, 8 of them syntheses that pooled it.
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Who cites it
49 citing papers in PubMed, 8 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- Physical activity as risk factor in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Journal of neurology · 2023Pooled it
- A systematic review on the risk of neurodegenerative diseases and neurocognitive disorders in professional and varsity athletes.Neurological sciences : official journal of the Italian Neurological Society and of the Italian Society of Clinical Neurophysiology · 2022Pooled it
- Mortality Risk from Neurodegenerative Disease in Sports Associated with Repetitive Head Impacts: Preliminary Findings from a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Sports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.) · 2022Pooled it
- Health Consequences of an Elite Sporting Career: Long-Term Detriment or Long-Term Gain? A Meta-Analysis of 165,000 Former Athletes.Sports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.) · 2021Pooled it
- Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Occupational Exposures: A Systematic Literature Review and Meta-Analyses.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2018Pooled it
- Epidemiological evidence that physical activity is not a risk factor for ALS.European journal of epidemiology · 2014Pooled it
- Physical activity and pancreatic cancer risk: a systematic review.Cancer epidemiology, biomarkers & prevention : a publication of the American Association for Cancer Research, cosponsored by the American Society of Preventive Oncology · 2008Pooled it
- Head injury and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.American journal of epidemiology · 2007Pooled it
- Head trauma and environment progression of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: long-term data from the National ALS Registry.BMJ neurology open · 2026Article
- Long-term neurobehavioral and neuroimaging outcomes in athletes with prior concussion(s) and head impact exposure.The Clinical neuropsychologist · 2025Review
- Raw Water and ALS: A Unifying Hypothesis for the Environmental Agents Involved in ALS.Annals of neurosciences · 2023Review
- Chronic motor performance following different traumatic brain injury severity-A systematic review.Frontiers in neurology · 2023Review
- Neurodegenerative disease risk among former international rugby union players.Journal of neurology, neurosurgery, and psychiatry · 2022Article
- Association of Playing College American Football With Long-term Health Outcomes and Mortality.JAMA network open · 2022Article
- Is Chronic Exposure to Raw Water a Possible Risk Factor for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis? A Pilot Case-Control Study.Brain sciences · 2021Article
- A Possible Antioxidant Role for Vitamin D in Soccer Players: A Retrospective Analysis of Psychophysical Stress Markers in a Professional Team.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2020Article
- The Role of Sex and Sex Hormones in Neurodegenerative Diseases.Endocrine reviews · 2020Review
- Clinical and Lifestyle Factors and Risk of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: A Population-Based Case-Control Study.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2020Article
- Exercise-Related Oxidative Stress as Mechanism to Fight Physical Dysfunction in Neuromuscular Disorders.Frontiers in physiology · 2020Review
- Mortality Among Professional American-Style Football Players and Professional American Baseball Players.JAMA network open · 2019Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
2 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectivesThe objective of the study is to investigate the mortality experience of Italian soccer players and to discuss the findings in the light of possible long term effects of doping.
methodsStandardized proportionate mortality ratio (SPMR) and standardized proportionate cancer mortality ratio (SPCMR) were computed for 350 deceased subjects deriving from a list of about 24,000 active Italian soccer players from 1960 to 1996 in the three top leagues (A, B and C).
resultsWhen considering SPMRs, there is a substantial adherence of observed to expected mortality, with the only exception of mortality for diseases of the nervous system (13 obs. vs. 6 exp.) mainly explained by an excess of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (8 obs. vs 0.69 exp.). As far as SPCMRs are concerned, some digestive cancers (namely: colon cancer, liver cancer and pancreas cancer) show a doubled risk.
conclusionsA high risk for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is observed among Italian soccer players. Epidemiological data on association between sport and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) are contrasting. On the basis of the overall available evidence we suggest a possible connection between dietary supplements or drugs used to enhance sporting performance and ALS pathogenesis. Further epidemiological studies are needed to confirm these specific mortality risks among soccer players.
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