Nontraumatic death in joggers. A series of 30 patients at autopsy
Virmani, R.; Robinowitz, M.; McAllister, H.A.
American Journal of Medicine 72(6): 874-882
1982
ISSN/ISBN: 0002-9343 PMID: 6211977 Document Number: 192810
Since few autopsy data are available on the cause of death in joggers, 30 joggers who underwent autopsy were studied. All were males 18-57 yr of age (mean 36 yr). Information on jogging habits was available in 18 patients who ran 7-105 miles/wk (mean 33) for 1-28 yr (mean 10). Of the 30 patients, 3 were marathon runners. In 12 patients the only available information was that they had been jogging for at least 6 mo., but information regarding the distance run was not available. Sixteen patients (53%) had clinical histories of systemic hypertension, hypercholesterolemia and/or family histories of coronary heart disease; 8 patients had a previous history of coronary heart disease; 2 had transient ischemic attacks. Patients (19) died suddenly after jogging; 6 died suddenly after jogging; 3 noted chest pains soon after jogging; 2 were found dead in bed. The heart weights were increased in 16 (53%). Twenty-two patients (73%) had severe coronary artery atherosclerosis, 6 of whom had coronary artery thrombi; acute and/or healed myocardial infarction was present in 14 (47%). One patient had a floppy mitral valve. In 7 patients no cause of death could be established; 3 of these had cardiac hypertrophy and 6 had myocytolysis. Myocytolysis was also noted in 11 patients with severe coronary atherosclerosis. Severe coronary artery atherosclerosis was the major finding (73%) in these 30 joggers.