Marathons May Impact Mortality for Patients with Acute Medical Conditions Living near the Route

Several studies have examined the medical effects of marathons on runners, yet little is known about the potential impact of marathon road closures, crowds, and other public service disruptions on emergency medical care for nonparticipants.

These researchers examined the impact of the 11 largest U.S. marathons on mortality in patients hospitalized for myocardial infarction or cardiac arrest. Using Medicare data from 2002 to 2012, the researchers compared 30-day mortality for patients transported to hospitals in zip codes along marathon routes on marathon days versus nonmarathon days (same day of the week, 5 weeks before and after the marathon), and for patients transported to hospitals in surrounding zip codes. The researchers also compared …