Concussions Are Associated With Increases in Blood Pressure and Cardiovascular Risk in American-Style Football Athletes
Authors' conclusion
Concussions sustained during collegiate ASF participation are independently associated with markers of cardiovascular risk and acquired maladaptive cardiovascular phenotypes. Clinical ASF concussion management strategies inclusive of careful BP surveillance may lead to early identification of hypertension.
Study context
- Population
- American-style football (ASF) athletes at 2 National Collegiate Athletic Association Division-I programs39 cases and 39 matched controls followed for 1 season, 14 pairs followed through 2 seasons · ASF athletes who sustained concussions 39 · weight and player position-matched controls 39 · pairs followed through 2 seasons 14
- Participants
- 39 vs 39
- Exposure
- ASF athletes who sustained clinically diagnosed concussions were compared to weight and player position-matched controls without concussions
- Casesn = 39
- Controlsn = 39
- Outcome
- Pulse wave velocity (PWV) change
- Follow-up
- 1 season
Methodological details2 National Collegiate Athletic Association Division-I programs, weight and player position-matched controls
- 2 National Collegiate Athletic Association Division-I programs
- Weight and player position-matched controls
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
| Group | Value | P |
|---|---|---|
| Cases | Δ 0.4 ([ ] 0.2) m/s | P = 0.036 |
| Controls | Δ −0.1 ([ ] 0.1) m/s | P = 0.38 |
Value
CasesΔ 0.4 ([ ] 0.2) m/s
ControlsΔ −0.1 ([ ] 0.1) m/s
P
CasesP = 0.036
ControlsP = 0.38
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
SBP change · 2 seasons
P cases P < 0.01 · controls P = 0.97
Preconcussion baseline SBP
| Outcome | Cases | Controls | β (95% CI) | P value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Diastolic blood pressure change · 2 seasonsΔ, mm Hg | 8.2 ([ ] 2.9) | −4.1 ([ ] 4.0) | ||
| P | P < 0.01 | P = 0.30 | ||
| É change · 2 seasonsΔ, cm/s | −2.8 ([ ] 0.8) | −1.0 ([ ] 0.8) | ||
| P | P = 0.001 | P = 0.21 | ||
| Association of concussions with PWV · 1 seasonHigher PWV | 0.33 (0.09–0.56) | P = 0.007 | ||
| Association of concussions with PWV, diastolic blood pressure, LV mass index and É · 2 seasonsConcussions · higher PWV | 0.42 (0.05–0.78) | P = 0.03 | ||
| Association of concussions with PWV, diastolic blood pressure, LV mass index and É · 2 seasonsConcussions · higher diastolic blood pressure | 5.89 (1.23–10.54) | P = 0.01 | ||
| Association of concussions with PWV, diastolic blood pressure, LV mass index and É · 2 seasonsConcussions · higher LV mass index | 11.01 (6.13–15.90) | P < 0.001 | ||
| Association of concussions with PWV, diastolic blood pressure, LV mass index and É · 2 seasonsConcussions · lower É | −2.11 (−3.27 to −0.95) | P < 0.001 |
- Systolic blood pressure (SBP) change: pairs followed over 2 seasons
- Diastolic blood pressure change: pairs followed over 2 seasons
- É change: pairs followed over 2 seasons
- Association of concussions with pulse wave velocity (PWV), diastolic blood pressure, LV mass index and É: athletes followed over 2 seasons
Original publication
Concussions Are Associated With Increases in Blood Pressure and Cardiovascular Risk in American-Style Football Athletes. JACC Adv. Published 24 March 2025. doi:10.
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