Table 1 Characteristics of ex-professional soccer players and general population (control group) participants

Age (years), mean (SD)

63.7 (10.5)

68.4 (9.3)

< .001^c

Socioeconomic status, mean (SD)

7.5 (2.4)

6.6 (3.0)

< .001^c

BMI > 25, n/total (%)

341/459 (74.3)

373/585 (63.8)

< .001^b

Stroke, n (%)

19 (4.1)

14 (2.3)

.09^b

Transient Ischaemic Attack, n (%)

13 (2.8)

15 (2.4)

.72^b

Head injury, n/total n (%)

218/456 (47.8)

142/610 (23.3)

< .001^b

Concussion, n (%)

247/465 (53.1)

97/611 (15.9)

< .001^b

Hearing loss, n (%)

48 (10.3)

117 (18.9)

< .001^b

Diabetes mellitus, n (%)

14 (3.0)

67 (10.8)

< .001^b

Hypertension, n (%)

107 (22.9)

217 (35.1)

< .001^b

Myocardial infarction, n/total n (%)

14 (3)

35 (5.7)

< .04^b

Circulatory problems in legs, n (%)

50 (10.7)

39 (6.3)

< .01^b

High cholesterol, n (%)

84 (17.9)

147 (23.7)

.02^b

Current smokers, n/total n (%)

12/456 (2.6)

32/606 (5.3)

< .001^b

Drinks > 2–3/day, n (%)

31/146 (21.2)

58/255 (22.7)

.73^b

Depression, n (%)

35 (7.5)

71 (11.5)

.03^b

Dementia/Alzheimer’s, n(%)

13 (2.8)

2 (0.3)

< .001^b

Parkinson’s, n (%)

0

4 (0.6)

.08^b

Neurodegenerative disease, n (%)

13 (2.8)

6 (0.9)

.02^b

TYM, mean (SD)

37.4 (4.2)

38.9 (3.0)

< .001^c