Does marathon running provide immunity to coronary atherosclerosis?
This report examines autopsy findings to evaluate the controversial hypothesis that marathon runners are immune to coronary atherosclerosis.
THE relation between coronary-artery disease and marathon running is controversial. In 1961, the Journal published an article in which Currens and White discussed the autopsy findings on "Mr. Marathon"; the diameter of the coronary arteries was described as two to three times normal, and there was only minimal atherosclerosis.1 This description was adduced in support of the contention that athletes capable of covering the marathon distance (42 km, or 26.2 miles) are immune to coronary atherosclerosis.2 , 3 Two recent autopsy reports on marathon runners appear to support this hypothesis: in one, fatal myocardial infarction developed but the coronary arteries were normal . . .
Noakes et al. (Thu,) studied this question.
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