The obesity paradox in acute coronary syndrome: a meta-analysis

Association between BMI and cause-specific long-term mortality in acute myocardial infarction patients

Aims

To investigate the association between body mass index (BMI) at acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and all-cause as well as cause-specific long-term mortality.

Methods

The analysis was based on 10,651 hospitalized AMI patients (age 25-84 years) recorded by the population-based Myocardial Infarction Registry Augsburg between 2000 and 2017. The median follow-up time was 6.7 years [IQR: 3.5-10.0)]. Cause-specific mortality was obtained by evaluating the death certificates. In multivariable-adjusted COX regression models using cubic splines for the variable BMI, the association between BMI and cause-specific mortality (all-cause, cardiovascular, ischemic heart diseases, cancer) was investigated. Additionally, a subgroup analysis in three age groups was performed for all-cause mortality.

Results

Overall, there was a statistically significant U-shaped association between BMI at AMI and long-term mortality with the lowest hazard ratios (HR) found for BMI values between 25 and 30 kg/m². For cancer mortality, higher BMI values > 30 kg/m² were not associated with higher mortality. In patients aged <60 years, there was a significant association between BMI values >35 kg/m² and increased all-cause mortality; this association was missing in 60 to 84 years old patients. For all groups and for each specific cause of mortality, lower BMI (<25kg/m²) values were significantly associated with higher mortality.

Conclusions

Overall, a lower BMI - and also a high BMI in patients younger than 60 years - seem to be a risk factors for increased all-cause mortality after AMI. A BMI in a mid-range between 25 and 30 kg/m² is favorable in terms of long-term survival after AMI.

Adherence to higher Life's Essential 8 scores is linearly associated with reduced all-cause and cardiovascular mortality among US adults with metabolic syndrome: Results from NHANES 2005-2018

BACKGROUND

Life's Essential 8 (LE8) is the American Heart Association (AHA)'s recently updated assessment of cardiovascular health (CVH). Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is one of the most common chronic noncommunicable diseases associated with CVH impairment and an increased risk of mortality. However, the association of LE8 with all-cause and disease-specific mortality in the MetS population remains unknown. We aimed to explore these associations in a national prospective cohort study from NHANES 2005-2018.

METHODS

The LE8 was calculated according to the assessment criteria proposed by the AHA, which includes health behavior and health factor domains. LE8 scores were categorized as low CVH (0-49), moderate CVH (50-79), and high CVH (80-100). MetS was assessed according to NCEP-ATP III criteria, and mortality data were obtained through prospective linkage to the National Death Index database.

RESULTS

7839 participants with MetS were included and only 3.5% were in high CVH. In the fully adjusted models, LE8 was negatively associated with both all-cause and cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality (hazard ratios [HR] and 95% confidence intervals [CI] of 0.978 (0.971,0.984) and 0.972 (0.961,0.984), respectively, both p < 0.0001). Both moderate/high CVH were associated with significantly lower mortality compared to low CVH (both p for trend <0.0001). Health behaviors had a more dominant effect compared to health factors. All-cause and CVD mortality gradually decreased with increasing ideal LE8 metrics. LE8 was not significantly associated with cancer mortality. LE8 and health behaviors were linearly associated with all-cause and CVD mortality, whereas health factors were nonlinearly associated (plateaued after ≥50). Education and chronic kidney disease influenced the association of LE8 with all-cause and CVD mortality, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

LE8 scores were negatively associated with all-cause and CVD mortality in the MetS population, while health behaviors had a dominant role. Adherence to higher CVH contributes to the prevention of excessive all-cause and CVD mortality in the MetS population.

Obesity hypoventilation syndrome is associated with worse in-hospital outcomes in patients with acute myocardial infarction: A nationwide study

BACKGROUND

Obesity hypoventilation syndrome (OHS) is a condition characterized by obesity, daytime hypercapnia, and sleep-disordered breathing. The impact of OHS on outcomes in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) remains poorly understood.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective analysis using data from the National Inpatient Sample (2016-2020) to evaluate the outcomes of patients with OHS admitted for ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI).

RESULTS

Among STEMI and NSTEMI patients, 0.15 % and 0.37 % had OHS, respectively. After adjusting for confounders, OHS was associated with higher odds of in-hospital mortality, cardiac arrest, acute kidney injury, renal replacement therapy, and respiratory failure requiring intubation in NSTEMI patients. In STEMI patients, OHS was associated with higher odds of cardiac arrest, acute kidney injury, and respiratory failure.

CONCLUSION

OHS is associated with worse clinical outcomes in patients admitted with AMI, particularly in those with NSTEMI.

The obesity paradox in younger adult patients with sepsis: analysis of the MIMIC-IV database

BACKGROUND

The obesity paradox suggests that individuals with obesity may have a survival advantage against specific critical illnesses, including sepsis. However, whether this paradox occurs at younger ages remains unclear. Therefore, we aimed to investigate whether obesity could improve survival in younger adult patients with sepsis.

METHODS

We used clinical data sourced from the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care IV (MIMIC-IV) database. Patients with Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score ≥2 and suspected infection at the time of ICU admission were identified as having sepsis, following the Sepsis-3 definition. Individuals were classified into the obesity (BMI ≥30 kg/m²) and non-obesity (BMI <30 kg/m²) groups. Patients aged <50 and ≥50 years were categorized as younger adult patients and older patients, respectively.

RESULTS

Of 73,181 patients in the MIMIC-IV ICU database, 18,120 satisfied the inclusion criteria: 2642 aged <50 years and 15,478 aged ≥50 years. The Kaplan-Meier curve showed that obesity was not associated with an improved mortality rate among younger adult patients with sepsis (log-rank test: P = 0.197), while obesity exhibited a survival benefit in older patients with sepsis (log-rank test: P < 0.001). After propensity score matching, in-hospital mortality did not differ significantly between the obesity and non-obesity groups (13.3% vs. 12.2%; P = 0.457) in the younger adult patients with sepsis. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that BMI was not an independent risk factor for in-hospital mortality in younger adult patients with sepsis (underweight: adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.72, P = 0.076; overweight: aOR 0.88, P = 0.437; obesity: aOR 0.93, P = 0.677; and severe obesity: aOR 1.22, P = 0.580, with normal weight as the reference).

CONCLUSION

Contrary to findings regarding older patients with sepsis, our findings suggest that the obesity paradox does not apply to younger adult patients with sepsis.

Obesity-associated Inflammation and Alloimmunity

Obesity is a worldwide health problem with a rapidly rising incidence. In organ transplantation, increasing numbers of patients with obesity accumulate on waiting lists and undergo surgery. Obesity is in general conceptualized as a chronic inflammatory disease, potentially impacting alloimmune response and graft function. Here, we summarize our current understanding of cellular and molecular mechanisms that control obesity-associated adipose tissue inflammation and provide insights into mechanisms affecting transplant outcomes, emphasizing on the beneficial effects of weight loss on alloimmune responses.

Evaluation of Cognitive Functions in Patients with Acute Coronary Syndrome Undergoing Percutaneous Coronary Intervention: A Prospective Pilot Study

PURPOSE

It is not clear whether cognitive functions are impaired in young patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). This study aims to detect whether or not there is cognitive impairment and cerebral changes in young patients with ACS undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

All 50 patients with ACS who were treated with primary PCI were eligible for this prospective study. All participants had normal cognitive function before ACS. Brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed to quantify changes in brain white and gray matter. Cognitive functions (CFs) were evaluated by seven cognitive tests. Patients were categorized by MRI findings and test scores were compared from the first day to after the first month.

RESULTS

We determined 25 patients with impaired CFs on the first day. After the first month, we identified 18 patients with transient impaired CFs. No structural difference was observed between impaired CF and normal CF. While 25 patients had a score of 1 according to Fazekas, 10 patients had a score of 1 according to MTLA. While the mean Stroop test completion time and Stroop test error rate scores were significantly higher on the first day than after the first month in the Fazekas+ group (p = 0.003, p < 0.001, respectively), other cognitive test scores-except clock drawing test, digital span forwards, and backwards-were significantly lower on the first day compared to after the first month in the Fazekas+ group (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with ACS have transient impairment in cognitive functions. Acute coronary syndrome is not associated with structural changes in the brain.

Heterogeneous body compositions and all-cause mortality in acute coronary syndrome patients: a ten-year retrospective cohort study

BACKGROUND

The association of different body components, including lean mass and body fat, with the risk of death in acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients are unclear.

METHODS

We enrolled adults diagnosed with ACS at our center between January 2011 and December 2012 and obtained follow-up outcomes via telephone questionnaires. We used restricted cubic splines (RCS) with the Cox proportional hazards model to analyze the associations between body mass index (BMI), predicted lean mass index (LMI), predicted body fat percentage (BF), and the value of LMI/BF with 10-year mortality. We also examined the secondary outcome of death during hospitalization.

RESULTS

During the maximum 10-year follow-up of 1398 patients, 331 deaths (23.6%) occurred, and a U-shaped relationship was found between BMI and death risk (P nonlinearity = 0.03). After adjusting for age and history of diabetes, the overweight group (24 ≤ BMI < 28 kg/m2) had the lowest mortality (HR = 0.53, 95% CI: 0.29-0.99). Predicted LMI and LMI/BF had an inverse linear relationship with a 10-year death risk (P nonlinearity = 0.24 and P nonlinearity = 0.38, respectively), while an increase in BF was associated with increased mortality (P nonlinearity = 0.64). During hospitalization, 31 deaths (2.2%) were recorded, and the associations of the indicators with in-hospital mortality were consistent with the long-term outcome analyses.

CONCLUSION

Our study provides new insight into the "obesity paradox" in ACS patients, highlighting the importance of considering body composition heterogeneity. Predicted LMI and BF may serve as useful tools for assessing nutritional status and predicting the prognosis of ACS, based on their linear associations with all-cause mortality.

Role of obesity in lower mortality risk in sepsis: a meta-analysis of observational studies

This meta-analysis aims to explore the correlation between obesity and mortality in patients with sepsis. Data were gathered from various sources, including PubMed, the Cochrane Library, and Embase (no language restrictions). Clinical studies, both retrospective and prospective ones, were selected to analyze mortality due to sepsis in patients with or without obesity. The Newcastle-Ottawa Scale was used to assess the quality of the studies included. In data synthesis, odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were meta-analyzed using the DerSimonian-Laird random-effects model, followed by sensitivity and heterogeneity analyses. Two cohort studies were included to investigate survival in inpatients with obesity and sepsis, with pooled analysis indicating a lowered mortality rate (OR=0.88; 95% CI: 0.81-0.95; I2=0.00%; P=0.000). This meta-analysis lends support to the obesity paradox, suggesting a reduced mortality from sepsis in obese patients. However, further prospective trials and research on mechanisms are needed to test this hypothesis.

Rising Trends in Metabolically Healthy Obesity in Cancer Patients and Its Impact on Cardiovascular Events: Insights from a Contemporary Nationwide Analysis in the USA (2016-2020)

Background: Obesity or overweight raises the risk of developing 13 types of cancer, representing 40% of all cancers diagnosed in the United States annually. Given the ongoing debate surrounding the impact of metabolically healthy obesity (MHO) on cardiovascular outcomes, it is crucial to comprehend the incidence of Major Adverse Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Events (MACCEs) and the influence of MHO on these outcomes in cancer patients. Methods: Data of hospitalized cancer patients with and without obesity were analyzed from the National Inpatient Sample 2016-2020. Metabolically healthy patients were identified by excluding diabetes, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia using Elixhauser comorbidity software, v.2022.1. After that, we performed a multivariable regression analysis for in-hospital MACCEs and other individual outcomes. Results: We identified 3,111,824 cancer-related hospitalizations between 2016 and 2020. The MHO cohort had 199,580 patients (6.4%), whereas the MHnO (metabolically healthy non-obese) cohort had 2,912,244 patients (93.6%). The MHO cohort had a higher proportion of females, Blacks, and Hispanics. Outcomes including in-hospital MACCEs (7.9% vs. 9.5%; p < 0.001), all-cause mortality (6.1% vs. 7.5%; p < 0.001), and acute myocardial infarction (AMI) (1.5% vs. 1.6%; p < 0.001) were lower in the MHO cohort compared to the MHnO cohort. Upon adjusting for the baseline characteristics, the MHO group had lower odds of in-hospital MACCEs [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 0.93, 95% CI (0.90-0.97), p < 0.001], all-cause mortality [AOR = 0.91, 95% CI (0.87-0.94); p < 0.001], and acute ischemic stroke (AIS) [AOR = 0.76, 95% CI (0.69-0.84); p < 0.001], whereas there were higher odds of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) [AOR = 1.08, 95% CI (1.01-1.16); p < 0.001] and cardiac arrest (CA) [AOR = 1.26, 95% CI (1.01-1.57); p = 0.045] in the MHO cohort compared to the MHnO cohort. Conclusions: Hospitalized cancer patients with MHO exhibited a lower prevalence of in-hospital MACCEs than those with MHnO. Additional prospective studies and randomized clinical trials are imperative to validate these findings, particularly in stratifying MHO across various cancer types and their corresponding risks of in-hospital MACCEs.

Obesity Paradox in Patients with Acute Coronary Syndrome: Is Malnutrition the Answer?

BACKGROUND

Obesity paradox has been reported in patients with cardiovascular disease, showing an inverse association between obesity as defined by BMI (in kg/m2) and prognosis. Nutritional status is associated with systemic inflammatory response and affects cardiovascular disease outcomes.

OBJECTIVES

This study sought to examine the influence of obesity and malnutrition on the prognosis of patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS).

METHODS

This study included consecutive patients diagnosed with ACS and underwent coronary angiogram between January 2009 and February 2023. At baseline, patients were categorized according to their BMI as follows: underweight (<18), normal weight (18-24.9), overweight (25.0-29.9), and obese (>30.0). We assessed the nutritional status by Prognostic Nutritional Index (PNI). Malnutrition was defined as a PNI value of <38.

RESULTS

Of the 21,651 patients with ACS, 582 (2.7%) deaths from any cause were observed over 28.7 months. Compared with the patient's state of normal weight, overweight, and obesity were associated with decreased risk of all-cause mortality. Malnutrition was independently associated with poor survival (hazards ratio: 2.64; 95% CI: 2.24, 3.12; P < 0.001). In malnourished patients, overweight and obesity showed a 39% and 72% reduction in the incidence of all-cause mortality, respectively. However, in nourished patients, no significant reduction in the incidence of all-cause mortality was observed (all P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Obesity paradox appears to occur in patients with ACS. Malnutrition may be a significant independent risk factor for prognosis in patients with ACS. The obesity paradox is influenced by the status of malnutrition.

Association of anthropometric measures with all-cause and cause-specific mortality in US adults: revisiting the obesity paradox

OBJECTIVE

Previous studies have shown that the obesity paradox exists in a variety of clinical settings, whereby obese individuals have lower mortality than their normal-weight counterparts. It remains unclear whether the association between obesity and mortality risk varies by anthropometric measures. The purpose of this study is to examine the association between various anthropometric measures and all-cause and cause-specific mortality in US adults.

METHODS

This cohort study included data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey between 2009 and 2018, with a sample size of 28,353 individuals weighted to represent 231 million US adults. Anthropometric measurements were obtained by trained technicians using standardized methods. Mortality data were collected from the date of enrollment through December 31, 2019. Weighted Cox proportional hazards models, restricted cubic spline curves, and cumulative incidence analyses were performed.

RESULTS

A total of 2091 all-cause deaths, 606 cardiovascular deaths, 519 cancer deaths, and 966 other-cause deaths occurred during a median follow-up of 5.9 years. The association between body mass index (BMI) and mortality risk was inversely J-shaped, whereas the association between waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) and mortality risk was positively J-shaped. There was a progressive increase in the association between the WHtR category and mortality risk. Compared with the reference category of WHtR < 0.5, the estimated hazard ratio (HR) for all-cause mortality was 1.004 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.001-1.006) for WHtR 0.50-0.59, 1.123 (95% CI 1.120-1.127) for WHtR 0.60-0.69, 1.591 (95% CI 1.584-1.598) for WHtR 0.70-0.79, and 2.214 (95% CI 2.200-2.228) for WHtR ≥ 0.8, respectively. Other anthropometric indices reflecting central obesity also showed that greater adiposity was associated with higher mortality.

CONCLUSIONS

Anthropometric measures reflecting central obesity were independently and positively associated with mortality risk, eliminating the possibility of an obesity paradox.

Impact of obesity on outcomes of patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome: a retrospective analysis of a large clinical database

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the link between obesity and mortality in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS).

METHODS

We performed a retrospective cohort study of a large clinical database. A Cox proportional hazards regression model was used to calculate the hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) for the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and mortality. The primary endpoint was 30-day death rate and the secondary endpoints were 90-day and 1‑year mortality.

RESULTS

Overall, 418 patients with ARDS were enrolled in the study, including 185 women and 233 men (age: 70.7 ± 44.1 years; BMI: 28.7 ± 8.1 kg/m2). Compared with patients with normal weight, obese patients were younger (60.1 ± 13.7, p = 0.003) and a higher percentage of these patients were women (51.3% vs. 49.0%, p = 0.001). The HRs (95% CI) of 30-day mortality in the underweight, overweight, and obese populations were 1.82 (0.85, 3.90), 0.59 (0.29, 1.20), and 3.85 (1.73, 8.57), respectively, after adjustment for other confounding factors. A similar pattern was also seen for death after 90 days and after 1 year. A U-shaped association between BMI and 30-day mortality was discovered by curve fitting.

CONCLUSION

Obesity had a significant impact on the short- and long-term mortality in patients with ARDS. There was a U-shaped relationship between BMI and mortality, while a higher BMI was associated with an increased risk of death in patients with ARDS.

Establishment and evaluation of a nomogram for in-hospital new-onset atrial fibrillation after percutaneous coronary intervention for acute myocardial infarction

Background

New-onset atrial fibrillation (NOAF) is prognostic in acute myocardial infarction (AMI). The timely identification of high-risk patients is essential for clinicians to improve patient prognosis.

Methods

A total of 333 AMI patients were collected who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) at Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital between October 2019 and October 2020. Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression (Lasso) and multivariate logistic regression analysis were applied to pick out independent risk factors. Secondly, the variables identified were utilized to establish a predicted model and then internally validated by 10-fold cross-validation. The discrimination, calibration, and clinical usefulness of the prediction model were evaluated using the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, calibration curve, Hosmer-Lemeshow test decision curve analyses, and clinical impact curve.

Result

Overall, 47 patients (14.1%) developed NOAF. Four variables, including left atrial dimension, body mass index (BMI), CHA2DS2-VASc score, and prognostic nutritional index, were selected to construct a nomogram. Its area under the curve is 0.829, and internal validation by 10-fold cross-folding indicated a mean area under the curve is 0.818. The model demonstrated good calibration according to the Hosmer-Lemeshow test (P = 0.199) and the calibration curve. It showed satisfactory clinical practicability in the decision curve analyses and clinical impact curve.

Conclusion

This study established a simple and efficient nomogram prediction model to assess the risk of NOAF in patients with AMI who underwent PCI. This model could assist clinicians in promptly identifying high-risk patients and making better clinical decisions based on risk stratification.

Association between chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and in-hospital mortality after percutaneous coronary intervention: a retrospective cohort study in Germany

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is one of the leading chronic diseases worldwide. However, the impact of COPD on outcome after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) remains unclear. In this retrospective cohort study, we analyzed the data of hospitalized patients undergoing PCI in Germany between 2015 and 2019. We compared in-hospital mortality, hospital length of stay and peri-interventional ventilation time (VT) in patients with and without COPD, including different COPD severity grades, COPD with exacerbation (COPDe) and infection (COPDi). We analyzed the data of 3,464,369 cases undergoing PCI. A total of 291,707 patients (8.4%) suffered from COPD. Patients suffering from COPD died more often (2.4% vs. 2.0%; p < 0.001), stayed longer hospitalized (5 days (2-10) vs. 3 days (1-6); p < 0.001), were more frequent (7.2% vs. 3.2%) and longer ventilated (26 h (7-88) vs. 23 h (5-92); p < 0.001). Surprisingly, COPD was associated with a 0.78-fold odds of in-hospital mortality and with reduced VT (- 1.94 h, 95% CI, - 4.34 to 0.43). Mild to severe COPD was associated with a lower risk of in-hospital mortality and reduced VT, whereas very severe COPD, COPDe and COPDi showed a higher risk of in-hospital mortality. We found a paradoxical association between mild to severe COPD and in-hospital mortality, whereas very severe COPD, COPDe and COPDi were associated with higher in-hospital mortality. Further investigations should illuminate, whether comorbidities affect these associations.

Abdominal adipose tissue distribution assessed by computed tomography and mortality in hospitalised patients with COVID-19: a retrospective longitudinal cohort study

BACKGROUND

Visceral adiposity has been associated with an increased risk of critical illness in COVID-19 patients. However, if it also associates to a poor survival is still not well established. The aim of the study was to assess the relationship between abdominal fat distribution and COVID-19 mortality.

METHODS

In this six-month longitudinal cohort study, abdominal visceral (VAT) and subcutaneous adipose tissues (SAT) were measured by computed tomography in a cohort of 174 patients admitted to the emergency department with a diagnosis of COVID-19, during the first wave of pandemic. The primary exposure and outcome measures were VAT and SAT at hospital admission, and death at 30 and 180 days, respectively.

RESULTS

Overall survival was not different according to VAT (p = 0.94), SAT (p = 0.32) and VAT/SAT ratio (p = 0.64). However, patients in the lowest SAT quartile (thickness ≤ 11.25 mm) had a significantly reduced survival compared to those with thicker SAT (77 vs. 94% at day 30; 74 vs. 91% at day 180, p = 0.01). Similarly, a thinner SAT was associated with lower survival in Intensive Care Unit (ICU) admitted patients, independently of sex or age (p = 0.02). The VAT/SAT ratio showed a non-linear increased risk of ICU admission, which plateaued out and tended for inversion at values greater than 1.9 (p = 0.001), although was not associated with increased mortality rate.

CONCLUSIONS

In our cohort, visceral adiposity did not increase mortality in patients with COVID-19, but low SAT may be associated with poor survival.

Myocardial Injury after Non-Cardiac Surgery in Patients Who Underwent Open Repair for Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm: A Retrospective Study

BACKGROUND

Myocardial injury after non-cardiac surgery (MINS) has been known to be associated with mortality in various surgical patients; however, its prognostic role in abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) open repair remains underexplored. This study aimed to investigate the role of MINS as a predictor of mortality in patients who underwent AAA open repair.

METHODS

This retrospective study investigated 352 patients who underwent open repair for non-ruptured AAA. The predictors of 30-day and 1-year mortalities were investigated using logistic regression analysis.

RESULTS

MINS was diagnosed in 41% of the patients after AAA open repair in this study. MINS was an independent risk factor of 30-day mortality (odds ratio [OR]: 10.440, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.278-85.274, p = 0.029) and 1-year mortality (OR: 5.189, 95% CI: 1.357-19.844, p = 0.016). Kaplan-Meier survival curves demonstrated significantly lower overall survival rates in patients with MINS compared to those without MINS (p = 0.003).

CONCLUSION

This study revealed that MINS is a common complication after AAA open repair and is an independent risk factor of 30-day and 1-year mortalities. Patients with MINS have lower overall survival rates than those without MINS.

Association Between Body Mass Index and Functional Outcomes in Patients With Intracerebral Hemorrhage

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Evidence of the so-called "obesity paradox," which refers to the protective effect and survival benefit of obesity in patients with spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH), remains controversial. This study aims to determine the association between body mass index (BMI) and functional outcomes in patients with ICH and whether it is modified by race/ethnicity.

METHODS

Included individuals were derived from the Ethnic/Racial Variations of Intracerebral Hemorrhage study, which prospectively recruited 1,000 non-Hispanic White, 1,000 non-Hispanic Black, and 1,000 Hispanic patients with spontaneous ICH. Only patients with available BMI were included. The primary outcome was 90-day mortality. Secondary outcomes were mortality at discharge, modified Rankin Scale (mRS), Barthel Index, and self-reported health status measures at 90 days. Associations between BMI and ICH outcomes were assessed using univariable and multivariable logistic, ordinal, and linear regression models, as appropriate. Sensitivity analyses after excluding frail patients and by patient race/ethnicity were performed.

RESULTS

A total of 2,841 patients with ICH were included. The median age was 60 years (interquartile range 51-73). Most patients were overweight (n = 943; 33.2%) or obese (n = 1,032; 36.3%). After adjusting for covariates, 90-day mortality was significantly lower among overweight and obese patients than their normal weight counterparts (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 0.71 [0.52-0.98] and aOR = 0.70 [0.50-0.97], respectively). Compared with patients with BMI <25 kg/m2, those with BMI ≥25 kg/m2 had better 90-day mRS (aOR = 0.80 [CI 0.67-0.95]), EuroQoL Group 5-Dimension (EQ-5D) (aβ = 0.05 [0.01-0.08]), and EQ-5D VAS (aβ = 3.80 [0.80-6.98]) scores. These differences persisted after excluding withdrawal of care patients. There was an inverse relationship between BMI and 90-day mortality (aOR = 0.97 [0.96-0.99]). Although non-Hispanic White patients had significantly higher 90-day mortality than non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic (26.6% vs 19.5% vs 18.0%, respectively; p < 0.001), no significant interactions were found between BMI and race/ethnicity. No significant interactions between BMI and age or sex for 90-day mortality were found, whereas for 90-day mRS, there was a significant interaction with age (pinteraction = 0.004).

CONCLUSION

We demonstrated that a higher BMI is associated with decreased mortality, improved functional outcomes, and better self-reported health status at 90 days, thus supporting the paradoxical role of obesity in patients with ICH. The beneficial effect of high BMI does not seem to be modified by race/ethnicity or sex, whereas age may play a significant role in patient functional outcomes.

ANMCO (Italian Association of Hospital Cardiologists) scientific statement: obesity in adults-an approach for cardiologists

Obesity is a complex, chronic disease requiring a multidisciplinary approach to its management. In clinical practice, body mass index and waist-related measurements can be used for obesity screening. The estimated prevalence of obesity among adults worldwide is 12%. With the expected further increase in overall obesity prevalence, clinicians will increasingly be managing patients with obesity. Energy balance is regulated by a complex neurohumoral system that involves the central nervous system and circulating mediators, among which leptin is the most studied. The functioning of these systems is influenced by both genetic and environmental factors. Obesity generally occurs when a genetically predisposed individual lives in an obesogenic environment for a long period. Cardiologists are deeply involved in evaluating patients with obesity. Cardiovascular risk profile is one of the most important items to be quantified to understand the health risk due to obesity and the clinical benefit that a single patient can obtain with weight loss. At the individual level, appropriate patient involvement, the detection of potential obesity causes, and a multidisciplinary approach are tools that can improve clinical outcomes. In the near future, we will probably have new pharmacological tools at our disposal that will facilitate achieving and maintaining weight loss. However, pharmacological treatment alone cannot cure such a complex disease. The aim of this paper is to summarize some key points of this field, such as obesity definition and measurement tools, its epidemiology, the main mechanisms underlying energy homeostasis, health consequences of obesity with a focus on cardiovascular diseases and the obesity paradox.Level of evidence V: report of expert committees.

The Value of Epicardial Adipose Tissue for Patients Treated with Percutaneous Coronary Intervention: A Systemic Review and Meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Recently, some clinical researches have shown epicardial adipose tissue to play a pivotal role in prognosis for patients treated with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), but the results are still controversial. A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted to investigate the value of epicardial adipose tissue for the prognosis of patients treated with PCI.

METHOD

A systematic search was performed using PubMed, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library for studies evaluating the association of EAT and patients treated with PCI published up to January 2023. The Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) was used to assess the quality of the studies. Meta-analysis was performed using Review Manager V.5.3.

RESULT

Thirteen studies enrolling 3683 patients were eventually included in our study. The thickness or volume of EAT measured were significantly higher in the ISR group compared to those in the non-ISR group (the standard mean difference of 0.34, 95% CI, 0.18-0.49, p<0.0001; I2=36%). The incidence of no-reflow was significantly higher in the thicker EAT group compared to the thin EAT group (pooled relative ratio 1.52, 95% CI 1.29-1,80, p<0.0001; I2 =0%). Thicker EAT was significantly associated with MACEs (pooled relative ratio 1.50, 95% 1.18-1.90, p=0.008). A lower EAT volume was associated with larger infarct size in STEMI patients treated with primary PCI (standard mean difference -5.45, 95% CI -8.10, -2.80; p<0.0001; I2=0%).

CONCLUSION

In summary, our systemic review and meta-analysis suggests that high EAT is related to a significantly increased risk of non-reflow, MACEs, and decreased infarct size in patients with CAD treated with PCI. This paradox phenomenon demonstrates that the quality of EAT may play a more important role than the sole thickness or volume of EAT.

Ceramides and metabolic profiles of patients with acute coronary disease: a cross-sectional study

Metabolic Syndrome (MS) is a rapidly growing medical problem worldwide and is characterized by a cluster of age-related metabolic risk factors. The presence of MS increases the likelihood of developing atherosclerosis and significantly raises the morbidity/mortality rate of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients. Early detection of MS is crucial, and biomarkers, particularly blood-based, play a vital role in this process. This cross-sectional study focused on the investigation of certain plasma ceramides (Cer14:0, Cer16:0, Cer18:0, Cer20:0, Cer22:0, and Cer24:1) as potential blood biomarkers for MS due to their previously documented dysregulated function in MS patients. A total of 695 ACS patients were enrolled, with 286 diagnosed with MS (ACS-MS) and 409 without MS (ACS-nonMS) serving as the control group. Plasma ceramide concentrations were measured by LC-MS/MS assay and analyzed through various statistical methods. The results revealed that Cer18:0, Cer20:0, Cer22:0, and Cer24:1 were significantly correlated with the presence of MS risk factors. Upon further examination, Cer18:0 emerged as a promising biomarker for early MS detection and risk stratification, as its plasma concentration showed a significant sensitivity to minor changes in MS risk status in participants. This cross-sectional observational study was a secondary analysis of a multicenter prospective observational cohort study (Chinese Clinical Trial Registry, https://www.who.int/clinical-trials-registry-platform/network/primary-registries/chinese-clinical-trial-registry-(chictr), ChiCTR-2200056697), conducted from April 2021 to August 2022.

Using machine learning to predict adverse events in acute coronary syndrome: A retrospective study

BACKGROUND

Up to 30% of patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) die from adverse events, mainly renal failure and myocardial infarction (MI). Accurate prediction of adverse events is therefore essential to improve patient prognosis.

HYPOTHESIS

Machine learning (ML) methods can accurately identify risk factors and predict adverse events.

METHODS

A total of 5240 patients diagnosed with ACS who underwent PCI were enrolled and followed for 1 year. Support vector machine, extreme gradient boosting, adaptive boosting, K-nearest neighbors, random forest, decision tree, categorical boosting, and linear discriminant analysis (LDA) were developed with 10-fold cross-validation to predict acute kidney injury (AKI), MI during hospitalization, and all-cause mortality within 1 year. Features with mean Shapley Additive exPlanations score >0.1 were screened by XGBoost method as input for model construction. Accuracy, F1 score, area under curve (AUC), and precision/recall curve were used to evaluate the performance of the models.

RESULTS

Overall, 2.6% of patients died within 1 year, 4.2% had AKI, and 4.7% had MI during hospitalization. The LDA model was superior to the other seven ML models, with an AUC of 0.83, F1 score of 0.90, accuracy of 0.85, recall of 0.85, specificity of 0.68, and precision of 0.99 in predicting all-cause mortality. For AKI and MI, the LDA model also showed good discriminating capacity with an AUC of 0.74.

CONCLUSION

The LDA model, using easily accessible variables from in-hospital patients, showed the potential to effectively predict the risk of adverse events and mortality within 1 year in ACS patients after PCI.

Association of body mass index and long-term mortality in patients from nationwide LIPIDOGRAM 2004-2015 cohort studies: no obesity paradox?

BACKGROUND

An obesity paradox has been described in relation to adverse clinical outcomes (e.g., mortality) with lower body mass index (BMI).

AIMS

We sought to evaluate the association between BMI and weight loss with long-term all-cause mortality in adult populations under the care of family physicians.

METHODS

LIPIDOGRAM studies were conducted in primary care in Poland in 2004, 2006, and 2015 and enrolled a total of 45,615 patients. The LIPIDOGRAM Plus study included 1627 patients recruited in the LIPIDOGRAM 2004 and repeated measurements in 2006 edition. Patients were classified by BMI categories as underweight, normal weight, overweight and class I, II, or III (obesity). Follow-up data up to December 2021 were obtained from the Central Statistical Office. Differences in all-cause mortality were analyzed using Kaplan‒Meier and Cox regression analyses.

RESULTS

Of 45,615 patients, 10,987 (24.1%) were normal weight, 320 (0.7%) were underweight, 19,134 (41.9%) were overweight, and 15,174 (33.2%) lived with obesity. Follow-up was available for 44,620 patients (97.8%, median duration 15.3 years, 61.7% females). In the crude analysis, long-term all-cause mortality was lowest for the normal-weight group (14%) compared with other categories. After adjusting for comorbidities, the highest risk of death was observed for the class III obesity and underweight categories (hazard ratio, HR 1.79, 95% CI [1.55-2.05] and HR 1.57, 95% CI [1.22-2.04]), respectively. The LIPIDOGRAM Plus analysis revealed that a decrease in body weight (by 5 and 10%) over 2 years was associated with a significantly increased risk of death during long-term follow-up-HR 1.45 (95% CI 1.05-2.02, p = 0.03) and HR 1.67 (95% CI 1.02-2.74, p < 0.001). Patients who experienced weight loss were older and more burdened with comorbidities.

CONCLUSIONS

Being underweight, overweight or obese is associated with a higher mortality risk in a population of patients in primary care. Patients who lost weight were older and more burdened with cardiometabolic diseases, which may suggest unintentional weight loss, and were at higher risk of death in the long-term follow-up. In nonsmoking patients without comorbidities, the lowest mortality was observed in those with a BMI < 25 kg/m2, and no U-curve relationship was observed.

Association between Asymptomatic Hyperuricemia with Adiposity Indices: A Cross-Sectional Study in a Spanish Population

INTRODUCTION

New anthropometric indices have been developed as an alternative to body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC) to assess body mass and visceral fat. Asymptomatic hyperuricemia is considered an independent cardiovascular risk factor. Currently, little is known about the relationship between asymptomatic hyperuricemia and several new anthropometric indices. This study aimed to assess the association between the presence of asymptomatic hyperuricemia and anthropometric indices, both novel and traditional.

METHODS

This study analyzed 1094 Spanish subjects who consecutively visited the cardiovascular risk consultation of the University Hospital San Pedro de Alcántara of Cáceres, Spain, between June 2021 and September 2022. Anthropometric measures, including traditional and novel indices, were determined. The asymptomatic hyperuricemia group was defined according to serum uric acid levels.

RESULTS

All the anthropometric indices studied, including new and traditional, were significantly greater among patients with asymptomatic hyperuricemia, except for WWI. In multiple linear regression analysis, serum uric acid levels were significantly correlated with BMI, WHR, WHtR, AVI, BAI, BRI, CUN-BAE, and WWI but not ABSI or CI. In the univariate analysis, all indices were associated with asymptomatic hyperuricemia (p < 0.05); however, only WHtR (adjusted OR: 2.93; 95% CI: 1.03-8.37; p = 0.044), AVI (adjusted OR: 1.46; 95% CI: 1.04-2.04; p = 0.026), and BRI (adjusted OR: 1.66; 95% CI: 1.19-2.32; p = 0.003) were significantly associated in multivariate analysis. Finally, WHtR, AVI, and BRI provided the largest AUCs.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings showed that WHtR, AVI, and BRI were independently positively associated with asymptomatic hyperuricemia and could be good predictors.

Association of body mass index with perioperative blood transfusion and short-term clinical outcomes in patients undergoing isolated coronary artery bypass grafting

BACKGROUND

Few studies have considered outcomes among low body mass index (BMI) cohorts undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). This study aims to investigate the effects of low body weight on blood transfusion and perioperative outcomes in patients undergoing isolated CABG.

METHODS

This retrospective study enrolled consecutive cases from a single-center between January 2008 and December 2018. Low body weight/underweight was defined as a BMI < 18.5 kg/m², while normal BMI was defined as 18.5 ≤ BMI < 24.0 kg/m². The primary endpoint was the perioperative red blood cell (RBC) transfusion rate. Secondary endpoints include platelet and plasma transfusion rates, transfusion volume for all blood components, hospital length of stay, and the occurrence of adverse events including prolonged mechanical ventilation, re-intubation, re-operation, acute kidney injury, and 30-day all-cause mortality.

RESULTS

A total of 7,620 patients were included in this study. After 1:1 propensity score matching, 130 pairs were formed, with 61 pairs in the on-pump group and 69 pairs in the off-pump group. Baseline characteristics were comparable between the matched groups. Low body weight independently increased the risk of RBC transfusion (on-pump: OR = 3.837, 95% CI = 1.213-12.144, p = 0.022; off-pump: OR = 3.630, 95% CI = 1.875-5.313, p < 0.001). Moreover, within the on-pump group of the original cohort, BMI of < 18.5 kg/m² was independently correlated with increased risk of re-intubation (OR = 5.365, 95% CI = 1.159 to 24.833, p = 0.032), re-operation (OR = 4.650, 95% CI = 1.019 to 21.210, p = 0.047), and 30-day all-cause mortality (OR = 10.325, 95% CI = 2.011 to 53.020, p = 0.005).

CONCLUSION

BMI < 18.5 kg/m² was identified as an independent risk factor for increased perioperative RBC transfusion rate in patient underwent isolated CABG with or without CPB. Only on-pump underweight patients in the original cohort exhibited an increased risk for re-intubation, re-operation, and 30-day all-cause mortality. Physicians and healthcare systems should consider these findings to improve management for this population.

Sex-related differences in the impact of nutritional status on in-hospital mortality in acute coronary syndrome: A retrospective cohort study

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

In patients with some cardiovascular disease conditions the result of Nutritional Risk Screening 2002 (NRS-2002) and body mass index (BMI) is related to the in-hospital mortality. The aim of this study was to assess the prognostic impact of BMI and NRS 2002 on in-hospital mortality among patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in relation to sex.

METHODS AND RESULTS

The study was based on a retrospective analysis of 945 medical records of AMI patients admitted to the Cardiology Department between 2017 and 2019. Patients with a score NRS2002 ≥ 3 are considered to be nutritionally at risk. The WHO BMI criteria were used. The endpoint was in-hospital mortality. Logistic regression was used to analyse the impact of quantitative variables on dichotomous outcome. Odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals were reported. Female patients were significantly older than male patients (73.24 ± 11.81 vs 67 ± 11.81). In an unadjusted model, the risk of malnutrition was a significant predictor of the odds of in-hospital mortality only in female patients (OR = 7.51, p = 0.001). In a multivariate model adjusted by all variables, heart failure (HF) (OR = 8.408, p = 0.003) and the risk of malnutrition (OR = 6.555, p = 0.007) were independent predictors of the odds of in-hospital mortality in female patients. The only significant independent predictor of the odds of in-hospital mortality in male patients was HF (OR = 3.789 p = 0.006).

CONCLUSIONS

Only in the case of female patients with AMI, the risk of malnutrition was independently associated with the odds of in-hospital mortality. There was no effect of BMI on in-hospital mortality in both sexes.

Association of N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide levels and mortality risk in acute myocardial infarction across body mass index categories: an observational cohort study

BACKGROUND

The prognostic value of N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) across body mass index (BMI) categories in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is unclear. We aimed to assess the predictive value of NT-proBNP levels and identify the best cutoff values for mortality risk prediction across BMI categories in AMI.

METHODS

We analyzed 4677 patients with AMI from the Cardiovascular Centre Beijing Friendship Hospital Database Bank. Patients were classified into underweight (< 18.5 kg/m2), normal-weight (18.5-23.9 kg/m2), overweight (24-27.9 kg/m2), and obese (≥ 28 kg/m2) groups. The association between NT-proBNP (ln-transformed) and mortality was investigated using Cox regression and stratified by BMI.

RESULTS

During follow-up (13,787 person-years of observation), 718 patients died, averaging 52.1 events per 1000 person-years. NT-proBNP levels were inversely correlated with BMI (β = - 0.096, P < 0.001). After adjustment, NT-proBNP was independently associated with all-cause mortality (hazard ratio [HR] per 1-SD: 1.82; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.60-2.07) in patients with AMI. Similar findings were observed in analyses stratified by BMI category, except for the underweight group. Adding NT-proBNP to conventional risk models improved risk discrimination in normal-weight, overweight, and obese patients (C-index changes of 0.036, 0.042, and 0.032, respectively) and classification of patients into predicted mortality risk categories (net reclassification improvement 0.263, 0.204, and 0.197, respectively). The best NT-proBNP cutoff values for 5-year mortality risk prediction across BMI categories were 5710, 4492, 2253, and 1300 pg/ml.

CONCLUSION

NT-proBNP level was an independent prognostic factor for mortality in patients with AMI and varied according to BMI. The best NT-proBNP cutoff values for mortality risk prediction reduced as BMI increased.

Association of body mass index and bloodstream infections in patients on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation: a single-centre, retrospective, cohort study

BACKGROUND

Obesity is associated with poor clinical outcomes in critically ill patients. However, under some clinical conditions, obesity has protective effects. Bloodstream infections (BSI) are among the most common nosocomial infections associated with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). BSI during ECMO is associated with higher mortality rates and poorer clinical outcomes.

AIM

To analyse whether body mass index (BMI) is associated with BSI during ECMO or with in-hospital mortality.

METHODS

All adult patients who had received ECMO support for >48 h were included in the analysis. The analysis of total duration of ECMO support, in-hospital mortality and BSI was stratified by BMI category. The Cox proportional hazards model was used to compare the risk of BSI among BMI categories.

FINDINGS

In total, 473 patients were enrolled in the study. The average age was 56.5 years and 65.3% were men. The total duration of ECMO was approximately 11.8 days, with a mortality rate of 47.1%. The incidence rates of BSI and candidaemia were 20.5% and 5.5%, respectively. The underweight group required ECMO for respiratory support, whereas the overweight and obese groups required ECMO for cardiogenic support (P<0.0001). No significant difference in BSI rate was found (P=0.784). However, after adjusting for clinical factors, patients in Group 4 (BMI 25.0-<30.0 kg/m2) exhibited lower mortality compared with patients in Group 2 (normal BMI) (P=0.004).

CONCLUSION

BMI was not associated with risk of BSI, but patients with higher BMI showed lower in-hospital mortality associated with ECMO support.

Associations between body mass index and all-cause mortality: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Fasting insulin and c-reactive protein confound the association between mortality and body mass index. An increase in fat mass may mediate the associations between hyperinsulinemia, hyperinflammation, and mortality. The objective of this study was to describe the "average" associations between body mass index and the risk of mortality and to explore how adjusting for fasting insulin and markers of inflammation might modify the association of BMI with mortality. MEDLINE and EMBASE were searched for studies published in 2020. Studies with adult participants where BMI and vital status was assessed were included. BMI was required to be categorized into groups or parametrized as non-first order polynomials or splines. All-cause mortality was regressed against mean BMI squared within seven broad clinical populations. Study was modeled as a random intercept. β coefficients and 95% confidence intervals are reported along with estimates of mortality risk by BMIs of 20, 30, and 40 kg/m2 . Bubble plots with regression lines are drawn, showing the associations between mortality and BMI. Splines results were summarized. There were 154 included studies with 6,685,979 participants. Only five (3.2%) studies adjusted for a marker of inflammation, and no studies adjusted for fasting insulin. There were significant associations between higher BMIs and lower mortality risk in cardiovascular (unadjusted β -0.829 [95% CI -1.313, -0.345] and adjusted β -0.746 [95% CI -1.471, -0.021]), Covid-19 (unadjusted β -0.333 [95% CI -0.650, -0.015]), critically ill (adjusted β -0.550 [95% CI -1.091, -0.010]), and surgical (unadjusted β -0.415 [95% CI -0.824, -0.006]) populations. The associations for general, cancer, and non-communicable disease populations were not significant. Heterogeneity was very large (I2  ≥ 97%). The role of obesity as a driver of excess mortality should be critically re-examined, in parallel with increased efforts to determine the harms of hyperinsulinemia and chronic inflammation.

Obesity and Kidney Transplantation-How to Evaluate, What to Do, and Outcomes

Obesity is a growing issue that is spreading worldwide; its prevalence is ever increasing in patients with end-stage renal disease and represents a potential barrier to transplantation. The lack of unanimous guidelines exacerbates the current disparity in treatment, which can affect outcomes, leading to a significantly longer time on the waiting list. Multidisciplinary and multimodal management (encompassing several healthcare professionals such as nephrologists, transplant physicians and surgeons, primary care providers, and nurses) is of paramount importance for the optimal management of this patient population in a continuum from waitlisting to transplantation. Development of this guideline followed a standardized protocol for evidence review. In this review, we report on our clinical experience in transplantation of obese patients; strategies to manage this condition, including bariatric surgery, suitable timing for transplantation among this patient population, and clinical experience in robotic sleeve gastrectomy; and simultaneous robotic kidney transplantation to achieve optimal outcomes.

The Impact of Body Mass Index on In-Hospital Mortality in Post-Cardiac-Arrest Patients-Does Sex Matter?

BACKGROUND

A number of factors influence mortality in post-cardiac-arrest (CA) patients, nutritional status being one of them. The aim of this study was to assess whether there are sex differences in the prognostic impact of BMI, as calculated on admission to an intensive care unit, on in-hospital mortality in sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) survivors.

METHODS

We carried out a retrospective analysis of data of 129 post-cardiac-arrest patients with return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the University Teaching Hospital in Wrocław between 2017 and 2022.

RESULTS

Female patients were significantly older than male patients (68.62 ± 14.77 vs. 62.7 ± 13.95). The results of univariable logistic regression analysis showed that BMI was not associated with the odds of in-hospital death in either male or female patients. In an age-adjusted model, age was an independent predictor of the odds of in-hospital death only in male patients (OR = 1.034). In our final multiple logistic regression model, adjusted for the remaining variables, none of the traits analysed were a significant independent predictor of the odds of in-hospital death in female patients, whereas an initial rhythm of ventricular fibrillation or pulseless ventricular tachycardia (VF/pVT) was an independent predictor of the odds of in-hospital death in male patients (OR = 0.247).

CONCLUSIONS

BMI on admission to ICU is not a predictor of the odds of in-hospital death in either male or female SCA survivors.

Obesity and the risk of cardiometabolic diseases

The prevalence of obesity has reached pandemic proportions, and now approximately 25% of adults in Westernized countries have obesity. Recognized as a major health concern, obesity is associated with multiple comorbidities, particularly cardiometabolic disorders. In this Review, we present obesity as an evolutionarily novel condition, summarize the epidemiological evidence on its detrimental cardiometabolic consequences and discuss the major mechanisms involved in the association between obesity and the risk of cardiometabolic diseases. We also examine the role of potential moderators of this association, with evidence for and against the so-called 'metabolically healthy obesity phenotype', the 'fatness but fitness' paradox or the 'obesity paradox'. Although maintenance of optimal cardiometabolic status should be a primary goal in individuals with obesity, losing body weight and, particularly, excess visceral adiposity seems to be necessary to minimize the risk of cardiometabolic diseases.

The prognostic effects of the geriatric nutritional risk index on elderly acute kidney injury patients in intensive care units

Introduction

The geriatric nutritional risk index (GNRI), a nutritional screening tool specifically for the aging population, has been proven to be associated with worse outcomes in chronic kidney disease patients, especially in the hemodialysis population. However, the predictive validity of GNRI in critically ill elderly patients with acute kidney injury (AKI) is yet to be determined. This analysis sought to examine the prognostic effects of GNRI on elderly AKI patients in intensive care units (ICUs).

Methods

We collected elderly AKI patient-relevant data from the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care III database. AKI was diagnosed and staged according to the "Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes" criteria. In the study, 1-year mortality was considered the primary outcome, whereas in-hospital, ICU, 28-day and 90-day mortality, and prolonged length of stay in ICU and hospital were selected as the secondary outcomes.

Results

In all, 3,501 elderly patients with AKI were selected for this study, with a 1-year mortality rate of 36.4%. We classified the study population into low (≤98) and high (>98) GNRI groups based on the best cutoff value. The incidence of endpoints was remarkably lower in patients with elevated GNRI (p < 0.001). When stratified by the AKI stage, patients with high GNRI at AKI stages 1, 2, and 3 had markedly lower 1-year mortality than those with low GNRI (all p < 0.05). The multivariable regression analysis identified the independent prognostic ability of GNRI on the research outcomes (all p < 0.05). Restricted cubic spline exhibited a linear correlation between GNRI and 1-year death (p for non-linearity = 0.434). The prognostic implication of GNRI on 1-year mortality was still significant in patients with the most subgroups.

Conclusion

In critically ill elderly patients with AKI, elevated GNRI upon admission was strongly correlated with a lower risk of unfavorable outcomes.

Association of Subclinical Carotid Atherosclerosis Assessed by High-Resolution Ultrasound With Traditional and Novel Anthropometric Indices

Novel anthropometric indices have been proposed as an alternative to body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC) to determine visceral adipose tissue and body mass. Little is known about the relationship of these new anthropometric indices to subclinical carotid atherosclerosis. The objective of this study was to assess the association of anthropometric indices, both new and traditional, with the presence of subclinical carotid artery arteriosclerosis (SCAA) estimated by Doppler ultrasound. This cross-sectional study analyzed 788 Spanish patients who consecutively attended a vascular risk consultation between June 2021 and September 2022. Traditional anthropometric indices (BMI, WHR and WHtR) and novel indices (ABSI, AVI, BAI, BRI, CI, CUNBAE and WWI) were calculated, and Doppler ultrasound in the carotid artery (cIMT and atherosclerosis plaque) was performed to detect SCAA. All analyzed anthropometric indices, except BMI, BAI and CUNBAE, were significantly higher in patients with SCAA. ABSI, BRI, CI, WHR, WHtR and WWI and were associated with SCAA in the univariate analysis (p<0.05); however, only ABSI (adjusted OR: 1.15; 95% CI: 1.10-2.38; p= 0.042) was significantly associated with SCAA in the multivariate analysis. In conclusion, only ABSI was significantly positively associated with SCAA, independent of other confounders.

The obesity paradox in patients with acute coronary syndromes over 2 decades - the ACSIS registry 2000-2018

BACKGROUND

Obesity is a worldwide epidemic which is associated with major cardiovascular (CV) risk factors. Nevertheless, substantial distant data, mostly published more than a decade ago, have demonstrated an obesity paradox, where obese patients generally have a better short- and long-term prognosis than do their leaner counterparts with the same CV profile. Nonetheless, it is not fully elucidated whether the obesity paradox is still relevant in the contemporary cardiology era among patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). We aimed to examine temporal trends in the clinical outcomes of ACS patients by their BMI status.

METHODS

Data from the ACSIS registry including all patients with calculated BMI data between the years 2002-2018. Patients were stratified by BMI groups to underweight, normal, overweight and obese. Clinical endpoints included 30d major cardiovascular events (MACE), and 1-year mortality. Temporal trends were examined in the late (2010-2018) vs. the early period (2002-2008). Multivariable models examined factors associated with clinical outcomes by BMI status.

RESULTS

Among the 13,816 patients from the ACSIS registry with available BMI data, 104 were underweight, 3921 were normal weight, 6224 were overweight and 3567 were obese. 1-year mortality was highest among underweight patients (24.8%), as compared to normal weight patients (10.7%) and lowest among overweight and obese patients (7.1% and 7.5% respectively; p for trend <0.001). 30-day MACE rates followed a similar pattern (24.3% for underweight, 13.6% for normal weight, 11.6% for overweight, and 11.7% for obese; p for trend<0.001). Comparing the 2 time-periods, 30-day MACE was significantly lower in the late period in all BMI groups, but unchanged in patients who were underweight. Similarly, 1-year mortality has decreased in normal weight and obese patients but remained similarly high in underweight patients.

CONCLUSIONS

In ACS patients, during 2-decades, 30-day MACE and 1-year mortality were lower among overweight and obese patients compared to underweight and even normal weight patients. Temporal trends revealed that 30-day MACE and 1-year mortality have decreased among all BMI groups other than the underweight ACS patients, among whom the adverse CV rates were consistently high. Our findings suggest that the obesity paradox is still relevant in ACS patients in the current cardiology era.

The Relation of Body Mass Index with In-Hospital Mortality in Patients with ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction

Objectives: In this study, we aimed to determine whether body mass index (BMI) is an independent predictor of in-hospital mortality in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients and to assess the relationship between BMI and mortality. Methods: One thousand three hundred fifty-seven patients with STEMI were included to the study. Primary outcome was in-hospital mortality. The multivariable logistic regression was used to assess the relationship between BMI and in-hospital mortality using age, gender, diabetes mellitus, systolic blood pressure, heart rate, smoking status, serum creatinine and hemoglobin, type of STEMI, and Killip class as adjustment variables. Results: The frequency of in-hospital mortality was 14.7%. The mean BMI was found to be 28.2 ± 4.8 kg/m². Considering the in-hospital mortality frequencies between the groups, mortality was observed in 61.7% of the BMI <20 kg/m² group, 15.5% of the 20-25 kg/m² group, 8.5% of the 25-30 kg/m² group, and 9.5% of the >30 kg/m² group (chi-square P value <0.001). In the multivariable logistic regression analysis, a change in BMI from 20 to 30 kg/m² was associated with a reduced risk of in-hospital mortality (odds ratio: 0.39, 95% confidence interval: 0.23-0.67, P < 0.001). Conclusion: Our study results revealed that there was inverse significant association between BMI and in-hospital mortality in STEMI patients.

Obese elderly patients with hip fractures may have better survival outcomes after surgery

BACKGROUND

In recent years, there has been an increasing amount of research on the "obesity paradox". So our primary objective was to explore whether this phenomenon exists in our study, and secondary objective was to determine the effect of body mass index (BMI) on major complications, and the incidence of acute kidney injury (AKI) after hip fracture surgery after controlling for confounding factors.

METHODS

We included patients over 70 years old with hip fracture who were admitted to the Department of Orthopedics, Peking University First Hospital between 2015 and 2021. Patients were classified as underweight (UW, < 18.5 kg/m²), normal weight (NW, 18.5-24.9 kg/m²), overweight (OW, 25.0-29.9 kg/m²) and obese (OB, ≥ 30.0 kg/m²). We analyzed demographic characteristics, operation information and postoperative outcomes. Using multivariate regression with normal-weight patients as the reference, we determined the odds of 1-year mortality, major complications, and AKI by BMI category.

RESULTS

A total of 644 patients were included. Nine percent of patients died after 1 year, 18% had major postoperative complications, and 12% had AKI. There was a U-shaped relationship between BMI and the rates of major complications or AKI. However, there was a linear decreasing relationship between 1-year mortality and BMI. After controlling for confounding factors, multivariate regression analysis showed that the risk of 1-year mortality after surgery was 2.24 times higher in underweight patients than in normal-weight patients (P < 0.05, OR: 2.24, 95% CI 1.14-4.42). Compared with normal-weight patients, underweight patients had a 2.07 times increased risk of major complications (P < 0.05, OR 2.07, 95% CI 1.21-3.55), and the risk of major complications in obese patients was 2.57 times higher than that in normal-weight patients (P < 0.05, OR 2.57, 95% CI 1.09-6.09). Compared with normal-weight, underweight patients had a 2.18 times increased risk of AKI (P < 0.05, OR 2.18, 95% CI 1.17-4.05).

CONCLUSIONS

The 1-year mortality risk of patients with higher BMI was significantly reduced. Besides, compared with normal-weight patients, underweight patients and obese patients have a higher risk of major complications; low-weight and obese patients are at higher risk for AKI.

The Effects of the Obesity Paradox and In-Hospital and One-Year Outcomes in Patients With ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction (STEMI): Results From a STEMI Registry

BACKGROUND

Obesity is strongly associated with increased cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and cardiovascular risk factors, such as diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and dyslipidemia. However, numerous studies have suggested the existence of an "obesity paradox" in which overweight and mildly obese patients often exhibit a better outcome than their leaner counterparts. Therefore, this study aimed to characterize the association between BMI and in-hospital and one-year outcomes.

METHOD

This hospital-based research was conducted as a part of the Kermanshah STEMI Registry. Following the application of inclusion criteria, a total of 2,397 STEMI patients were evaluated. The data were collected using a standardized case report developed by the European Observational Registry Program (EORP). Body mass index (BMI) (kg/m2) was classified into underweight (<18.5), normal weight (18.5-24.9), overweight (25-29.9), class I/mild obese (30-34.9), and class II/extreme obese (≥35) categories. The independent predictors of the in-hospital and one-year outcomes were assessed using multivariable logistic regression models.

RESULTS

Out of the 2397 patients, 43 (1.79%) were underweight, 934 (38.97%) were normal, 1038 (43.30%) were overweight, 322 (13.43%) were class I obese, and 60 (2.50%) were class II obese. The results of the crude analysis showed that class I obesity was protective against CV death (OR 0.50; 95% CI 0.30-0.84), MACE3 (MI, stroke, and death) (OR 0.47; 95% CI 0.29-0.76), and MACE5 (MACE3 plus unstable angina and heart failure) (OR 0.59; 95% CI 0.44-0.79).

CONCLUSIONS

Multivariate adjustment eliminated the protective effect of class I obesity against death and MACE events. Therefore, it is possible that this protective effect does not exist and instead reflects the impact of confounding variables such as age.

Impact of obstructive sleep apnea on outcomes of pulmonary embolism: A systematic review and meta‑analysis

The current review aimed to assess the effect of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) on the severity and outcomes of pulmonary embolism (PE). PubMed, Embase, ScienceDirect, CENTRAL and Google Scholar were searched for studies assessing the impact of OSA on severity and outcomes of PE. A total of 12 studies were included. Meta-analysis revealed that simplified PE severity index of >1 and pulmonary artery obstruction index score was significantly higher in patients with OSA as compared with controls, but there was no difference in right ventricle to left ventricle short-axis diameter. The need for non-invasive ventilation was significantly higher in patients with OSA but there was no difference in the need for mechanical ventilation. Patients with OSA had a significantly higher incidence of recurrence of PE. Meta-analysis also showed a statistically significantly lower risk of in-hospital mortality in patients with OSA as compared with controls, but without any difference in the risk of late mortality. Adjusted data on mortality indicated a significantly lower risk of mortality in PE patients with comorbid OSA. Limited data shows that comorbid OSA increases the severity of PE but has no effect on right ventricular function. OSA may increase the risk of recurrent PE. Paradoxically, the presence of OSA may also reduce the risk of in-hospital mortality. Results must be interpreted with caution owing to high inter-study heterogeneity and lack of matching of baseline characteristics. Current evidence needs to be confirmed by high-quality prospective studies.

Τhe Burden of Obesity on Adult Survivors of Congenital Heart Disease, Past, and Future Directions

The ongoing obesity epidemic has started to ebb. However, as most children with congenital heart disease survive until adulthood, the burgeoning trend has started to spill over in the adult congenital heart disease population as well. This review aims to decipher the prevalence, outcomes, and future directions of obesity in adult survivors of congenital heart disease.

Features of metabolic syndrome and inflammation independently affect left ventricular function early after first myocardial infarction

BACKGROUND

A high body mass index (BMI) is often associated with metabolic syndrome, which is accompanied by systemic low-grade chronic inflammation. Here, we analyzed whether BMI, other components of metabolic syndrome, and/or inflammatory markers correlate with left ventricular geometry, function, and infarct size as assessed by serial cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) after a first (clinically evident) ST-elevation MI (STEMI).

METHODS

Within the Etiology, Titre-Course, and effect on Survival (ETiCS) study, cardiac MRI conducted 7-9 days and 12 months after MI enabled longitudinal characterization of patients with a first STEMI along with serial routine blood counts and multiplex cytokine measurements.

RESULTS

Of 91 locally included STEMI patients, 47% were overweight (25 kg/m² < BMI < 30 kg/m²) and 24% were obese (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m²). No patient died during 12 months of follow-up. Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), measured 7-9 days after STEMI, was significantly lower in overweight (49.5 ± 7.1%) and obese (45.8 ± 12.0%) patients than in the normal weight group (56.2 ± 7.7%). Along with BMI (T = -3.8; p < 0.001), hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c; T = -3.1; p = 0.004) and peak C-reactive protein (T = -2.6; p = 0.013) emerged as independent predictors of worse LVEF 7-9 days post MI (R² = 0.45). Only peak C-reactive protein (T = -4.4; p < 0.001), but not parameters of the metabolic syndrome, predicted worse LVEF 12 months after STEMI (R² = 0.20).

CONCLUSION

Both BMI and HbA1c correlated negatively with LVEF only early, but not late after STEMI. Peak CRP evolved as strongest predictor of cardiac function at all time points independent of the metabolic syndrome.

Relationship between nutritional status and length of hospital stay among patients with atrial fibrillation - a result of the nutritional status heart study

Background

Nutritional status is related to the prognosis and length of hospital stay (LOHS) of patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). This study aimed to assess how nutritional status affects LOHS for patients with AF.

Methods

We performed retrospective analysis of the medical records of 1,813 patients admitted urgently with a diagnosis of AF to the Institute of Heart Diseases of the University Clinical Hospital in Wroclaw, Poland.

Results

In total, 1,813 patients were included in the analysis. The average LOHS in the entire group was 3.53 ± 3.41 days. The mean BMI was 28.7 kg/m² (SD: 5.02). Patients who were hospitalized longer were statistically more likely to have a Nutritional Risk Score (NRS) ≥3 (p = 0.028). A higher percentage of longer hospitalized patients with LDL levels below 70 mg/dl (p < 0.001) and those with HDL ≥40 mg/dl (p < 0.001) were observed. Study participants with NRS ≥3 were an older group (M = 76.3 years), with longer mean LOHS (M = 4.44 days). The predictors of LOHS in the univariate model were age (OR = 1.04), LDL (OR = 0.99), HDL (OR = 0.98), TC (OR = 0.996), CRP (OR = 1, 02, p < 0.001), lymphocytes (OR = 0.97, p = 0.008) and in the multivariate model were age, LDL (mg/dl), HDL (mg/dl), Na, and K.

Conclusion

For nutritional status, factors indicating the risk of prolonged hospitalization in patients with AF are malnutrition, lower serum LDL, HDL, potassium, and sodium levels identified at the time of admission to the cardiology department. Assessment of nutritional status in patients with AF is important both in the context of evaluating obesity and malnutrition status, as both conditions can alter the prognosis of patients. Further studies are needed to determine the exact impact of the above on the risk of prolonged hospitalization.

Use of machine learning models to predict in-hospital mortality in patients with acute coronary syndrome

BACKGROUND

Cardiovascular diseases are a significant health burden with the prevalence increasing worldwide. Thus, a highly accurate assessment and prediction of death risk are crucial to meet the clinical demand. This study sought to develop and validate a model to predict in-hospital mortality among patients with the acute coronary syndrome (ACS) using nonlinear algorithms.

METHODS

A total of 2414 ACS patients were enrolled in this study. All samples were divided into five groups for cross-validation. The logistic regression (LR) model and XGboost model were applied to predict in-hospital mortality. The results of two models were compared between the variable set by the global registry of acute coronary events (GRACE) score and the selected variable set.

RESULTS

The in-hospital mortality rate was 3.5% in the dataset. Model performance on the selected variable set was better than that on GRACE variables: a 3% increase in area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC) for LR and 1.3% for XGBoost. The AUC of XGBoost is 0.913 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.910-0.916), demonstrating a better discrimination ability than LR (AUC = 0.904, 95% CI: 0.902-0.905) on the selected variable set. Almost perfect calibration was found in XGBoost (slope of predicted to observed events, 1.08; intercept, -0.103; p < .001).

CONCLUSIONS

XGboost modeling, an advanced machine learning algorithm, identifies new variables and provides high accuracy for the prediction of in-hospital mortality in ACS patients.

Updates on obesity and the obesity paradox in cardiovascular diseases

The prevalence of obesity has reached pandemic proportions worldwide and certainly in the United States. Obesity is a well-established independent risk factor for development of many cardiovascular diseases (CVD), including heart failure, coronary heart disease, atrial fibrillation, and hypertension. Therefore, it is logical to expect obesity would have a strong correlation with CVD mortality. However, a substantial body of literature demonstrates a paradox with improved prognosis of overweight and obese patients with established CVD compared to lean patients with the identical CVD. Surprisingly, similar data has also shown that cardiovascular fitness, rather than weight loss alone, influences the relationship between obesity and mortality in those with established CVD. The impact of fitness, exercise, physical activity (PA), and weight loss and their relationship to the obesity paradox are all reviewed here.

Underweight and obesity are related to higher mortality in patients undergoing coronary angiography: The KARDIO invasive cardiology register study

BACKGROUND

In patients with some cardiovascular disease conditions, slightly elevated body mass index (BMI) is associated with a lower mortality risk (termed "obesity paradox"). It is uncertain, however, if this obesity paradox exists in patients who have had invasive cardiology procedures. We evaluated the association between BMI and mortality in patients who underwent coronary angiography.

METHODS

We utilised the KARDIO registry, which comprised data on demographics, prevalent diseases, risk factors, coronary angiographies, and interventions on 42,636 patients. BMI was categorised based on WHO cut-offs or transformed using P-splines. Hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated for all-cause mortality.

RESULTS

During a median follow-up of 4.9 years, 4688 all-cause deaths occurred. BMI was nonlinearly associated with mortality risk: compared to normal weight category (18.5-25 kg/m² ), the age-adjusted HRs (95% CIs) for all-cause mortality were 1.90 (1.49, 2.43), 0.96 (0.92, 1.01), 1.04 (0.99, 1.09), 1.08 (0.96, 1.20), and 1.45 (1.22, 1.72) for underweight (<18.5 kg/m² ), preobesity (25 to <30 kg/m² ), obesity class I (30 to <35 kg/m² ), obesity class II (35 to <40 kg/m² ), and obesity class III (>40 kg/m² ), respectively. The corresponding multivariable adjusted HRs (95% CIs) were 2.00 (1.55, 2.58), 0.92 (0.88, 0.97) 1.01 (0.95, 1.06), 1.10 (0.98, 1.23), and 1.49 (1.26, 1,78), respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

In patients undergoing coronary angiography, underweight and obesity class III are associated with increased mortality risk, and the lowest mortality was observed in the preobesity class. It appears the obesity paradox may be present in patients who undergo invasive coronary procedures.

Are Undernutrition and Obesity Associated with Post-Discharge Mortality and Re-Hospitalization after Hospitalization with Community-Acquired Pneumonia?

Undernutrition is associated with increased mortality after hospitalization with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP), whereas obesity is associated with decreased mortality in most studies. We aimed to determine whether undernutrition and obesity are associated with increased risk of re-hospitalization and post-discharge mortality after hospitalization. This study was nested within the Surviving Pneumonia cohort, which is a prospective cohort of adults hospitalized with CAP. Patients were categorized as undernourished, well-nourished, overweight, or obese. Undernutrition was based on diagnostic criteria by the European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism. Risk of mortality was investigated using multivariate logistic regression and re-hospitalization with competing risk Cox regression where death was the competing event. Compared to well-nourished patients, undernourished patients had a higher risk of 90-day (OR 3.0, 95% CI 1.0; 21.4) mortality, but a similar 30-day and 180-day mortality risk. Obese patients had a similar re-hospitalization and mortality risk as well-nourished patients. In conclusion, among patients with CAP, undernutrition was associated with increased risk of mortality. Undernourished patients are high-risk patients, and our results indicate that in-hospital screening of undernutrition should be implemented to identify patients at mortality risk. Studies are required to investigate whether nutritional therapy after hospitalization with CAP would improve survival.

Association between low body temperature on admission and in-hospital mortality according to body mass index categories of patients with sepsis

Hypothermia has been shown to be associated with a high mortality rate among patients with sepsis. However, the relationship between hypothermia and body mass index (BMI) with respect to mortality remains to be elucidated. We conducted this study to assess the association between hypothermia and survival outcomes of patients with sepsis according to BMI categories. This secondary analysis of a prospective cohort study enrolled 1184 patients (aged ≥ 16 years) with sepsis hospitalized in 59 intensive care units in Japan. Patients were divided into 3 BMI categories (<18.5 [low], 18.5-24.9 [normal], >24.9 [high] kg/m2) and 2 body temperature (36 °C and ≥ 36 °C) groups. The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality rate. Associations between hypothermia and BMI categories with respect to in-hospital mortality were evaluated using multivariate logistic regression analysis. Of the 1089 patients, 223, 612, and 254 had low, normal, and high BMI values, respectively. Patients with body temperature < 36 °C (hypothermia) had a higher in-hospital mortality rate than that had by those without hypothermia in the normal BMI group (25/63, 39.7% vs. 107/549, 19.5%); however, this was not true for patients in the low or high BMI groups. A significant interaction was observed between hypothermia and normal BMI for in-hospital mortality (odds ratio, 1.56; 95% confidence interval, 1.00-3.41; P value for interaction = .04); however, such an interaction was not found between hypothermia and low or high BMIs. Patients with sepsis and hypothermia in the normal BMI subgroup may have a higher mortality risk than that of those in the low or high BMI subgroups and, therefore, require more attention.

Relationship Between Body Mass Index and Outcomes in Acute Myocardial Infarction

Background

The prevalence of obesity in the United States is high. Obesity is one of the leading risk factors in the development of acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Nevertheless, how obesity impacts AMI in-hospital outcomes remains controversial.

Methods

Using National Inpatient Sample (NIS) database, we identified patients diagnosed with AMI from the year 2015 to 2018. We divided these patients into five subgroups based on their body mass index (BMI). We compared outcomes such as mortality, length of inpatient stay, and inpatient complications between our subgroups. Statistical analysis was done using the program STATA. Our nationally representative analysis included 561,535 patients who had an AMI event across various weight classes.

Results

Most of our sample was obese (BMI > 30 kg/m2) and male. Obese patients were significantly younger than the rest. Length of stay (LOS) for AMI was highest for those with a BMI of less than 24 kg/m2. In-hospital mortality is highest for those with a BMI of < 30 kg/m2 and lowest for those with a BMI of 30 - 40 kg/m2. Inpatient complications are highest in the lower BMI population (BMI < 24 kg/m2).

Conclusion

The current analysis of a nationally representative sample showed the clinical implications of BMI in patients with AMI. Patients with a BMI of 30 - 40 kg/m2 had more favorable LOS, inpatient complications, and in-hospital mortality when compared to those with an ideal body weight. Hence, this supports and expands on the concept of the "obesity paradox". Further studies are needed to further investigate the possible mechanism behind this.

Body mass index and outcomes of patients with cardiogenic shock: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Cardiogenic shock continues to be a highly morbid complication that affects around 7%-10% of patients with acute myocardial infarction or heart failure. Similarly, obesity has become a worldwide epidemic.

AIM

To analyze the impact of higher body mass index (BMI) on outcomes of patients with cardiogenic shock.

METHODS

A systematic and comprehensive search was undertaken on the electronic databases of PubMed, Embase, ScienceDirect, CENTRAL, and Google Scholar for all types of studies comparing mortality outcomes of patients with cardiogenic shock based on BMI. All studies defined overweight or obese patients based on the World Health Organization BMI criteria. The data were then extracted and assessed on the basis of the Reference Citation Analysis (https://www.referencecitationanalysis.com/).

RESULTS

Five studies were included. On pooled analysis of multivariable-adjusted ratios, we noted a statistically significantly reduced risk of mortality in overweight/ obese vs normal patients (three studies; odds ratio [OR] = 0.92, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.85-0.98, I² = 85%). On meta-analysis, we noted that crude mortality rates did not significantly differ between overweight/obese and normal patients after cardiogenic shock (OR = 0.95, 95%CI: 0.79-1.15, I² = 99%). The results were not stable on sensitivity analysis and were associated with substantial heterogeneity.

CONCLUSION

Current evidence on the association between overweight/obesity and mortality after cardiogenic shock is scarce and conflicting. The obesity paradox might exist in patients with cardiogenic shock but could be confounded by the use of mechanical circulatory support. There is a need for further studies to clarify this relationship.

Comparison of conventional scoring systems to machine learning models for the prediction of major adverse cardiovascular events in patients undergoing coronary computed tomography angiography

BACKGROUND

The study aims to compare the prognostic performance of conventional scoring systems to a machine learning (ML) model on coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) to discriminate between the patients with and without major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs) and to find the most important contributing factor of MACE.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

From November to December 2019, 500 of 1586 CCTA scans were included and analyzed, then six conventional scores were calculated for each participant, and seven ML models were designed. Our study endpoints were all-cause mortality, non-fatal myocardial infarction, late coronary revascularization, and hospitalization for unstable angina or heart failure. Score performance was assessed by area under the curve (AUC) analysis.

RESULTS

Of 500 patients (mean age: 60 ± 10; 53.8% male subjects) referred for CCTA, 416 patients have met inclusion criteria, 46 patients with early (<90 days) cardiac evaluation (due to the inability to clarify the reason for the assessment, deterioration of the symptoms vs. the CCTA result), and 38 patients because of missed follow-up were not enrolled in the final analysis. Forty-six patients (11.0%) developed MACE within 20.5 ± 7.9 months of follow-up. Compared to conventional scores, ML models showed better performance, except only one model which is eXtreme Gradient Boosting had lower performance than conventional scoring systems (AUC:0.824, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.701-0.947). Between ML models, random forest, ensemble with generalized linear, and ensemble with naive Bayes were shown to have higher prognostic performance (AUC: 0.92, 95% CI: 0.85-0.99, AUC: 0.90, 95% CI: 0.81-0.98, and AUC: 0.89, 95% CI: 0.82-0.97), respectively. Coronary artery calcium score (CACS) had the highest correlation with MACE.

CONCLUSION

Compared to the conventional scoring system, ML models using CCTA scans show improved prognostic prediction for MACE. Anatomical features were more important than clinical characteristics.