Are soccer matches dangerous for patients with heart disease? The HeartAtaque trial - a prospective pilot study

Abstract

Introduction: Behavioral and emotional factors are triggers of cardiovascular events (CVEs). It is uncertain whether soccer fans, particularly individuals with coronary artery disease (CAD), are at increased risk for CVEs.

Objectives: To assess the effect of watching soccer matches in patients with known CAD on the incidence of CVEs according to the match result.

Methods: We prospectively assessed 82 male soccer fans with a history of acute coronary syndrome during 23 matches of the 2015/2016 season. Each individual was assessed by Holter monitoring on the day of their team's match and on the control day. The primary endpoint was the composite of death, stroke, reinfarction, angina or sustained arrhythmia. Secondary endpoints assessed were episodes of non-sustained supraventricular or ventricular arrhythmia and mean heart rate (HR).

Results: Participants' mean age was 61±10 years. Compared with the control day, despite a significant increase in HR (p<0.001) that was independent of the result (p>0.97), the number of CVEs did not differ according to the result (p>0.05). Moreover, the number of non-sustained episodes of supraventricular and ventricular arrhythmia did not differ when stratified according to the match result (p>0.05).

Conclusions: The match result was not associated with a difference in incidence of CVEs in patients with a past history of CAD, with ischemic and arrhythmic substrate, who watched soccer matches on television.

Keywords: Cardiovascular events; Eventos cardiovasculares; Futebol; Soccer; Stress; Stresse.