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Ali H, Naik U, McDonald M, Almosa M, Horn K, Staines A, Buja LM. Complexities and complications of extreme obesity. AUTOPSY AND CASE REPORTS 2022; 12:e2021402. [PMID: 36245943 PMCID: PMC9545056 DOI: 10.4322/acr.2021.402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2022] [Accepted: 09/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Obesity is a common chronic disorder and has detrimental long-term consequences if left untreated. Herein, we report a case of a young lady who suffered from morbid obesity and many of its consequences, and we present a literature review of these complications. While the cause of obesity is multifactorial, the genetic component is particularly important in the pathophysiology of marked obesity. Resistance to Leptin is considered one of the main causes of obesity. There is a unique relationship between polycystic ovary syndrome and obesity, as observed in our case. Obesity is associated with cardiovascular and lung diseases such as heart failure, thromboembolic disease, sleep apnea, and pulmonary hypertension. Our patient had cardiomegaly (730 gm) with eccentric hypertrophy of left and right ventricles. The coronary arteries and aorta were free of atherosclerosis, which is a surprising finding that relates to the mysterious phenomenon of obesity paradox. The terminal event in our young woman was multiple segmental and subsegmental pulmonary arterial thrombi/thromboemboli superimposed on chronic cardiopulmonary stress due to massive obesity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haval Ali
- University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth Houston), McGovern Medical School, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Udit Naik
- University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth Houston), McGovern Medical School, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Michelle McDonald
- University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth Houston), McGovern Medical School, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Mohammad Almosa
- University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth Houston), McGovern Medical School, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Karen Horn
- University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth Houston), McGovern Medical School, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Alexis Staines
- University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth Houston), McGovern Medical School, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Louis Maximilian Buja
- University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth Houston), McGovern Medical School, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
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Nwogbo OV, Ullah A, Singh G. Obesity Paradox: Laboratory Findings in Uncomplicated Obesity. Is Bias a Plausible Explanation? J Appl Lab Med 2020; 6:113-118. [PMID: 33236110 DOI: 10.1093/jalm/jfaa049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2020] [Accepted: 02/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Obesity predisposes to multiple diseases, such as heart disease, diabetes, stroke, arthritis, and malignancy. However, obese patients have better outcomes than normal-weight patients with some of these disorders, including those admitted to critical care units. We compared the results for common laboratory tests in patients with uncomplicated obesity against the findings in normal-weight patients. METHODS Patients who had a comprehensive metabolic profile test were identified. Patients with acute and/or chronic debilitating disorders were excluded, and the laboratory parameters were compared among 4 groups based on body mass index. RESULTS With the exception of elevated triglycerides and lower high-density lipoprotein in obese and morbidly obese patients, laboratory findings were not meaningfully different from those in normal-weight patients. CONCLUSIONS The obesity paradox of better outcomes in obese patients admitted to critical care units could not be explained on the basis of lower additional disease burden necessitating critical care admission due to abnormal laboratory values at the baseline. It is conceivable that unconscious bias against obese patients, with lower disease burden than normal-weight patients, triggers their admission to critical care, thus creating the appearance of better outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Asad Ullah
- Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, GA
| | - Gurmukh Singh
- Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, GA
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Qaisar S, Brodsky LD, Barth RF, Leier C, Buja LM, Yildiz V, Mo X, Allenby P, Moore S, Ivanov I, Chen W, Thomas D, Rivera AC, Gamble D, Hartage R, Mao G, Sheldon J, Sinclair D, Vazzano J, Zehr B, Patton A, Brodsky SV. An unexpected paradox: wall shear stress in the aorta is less in patients with severe atherosclerosis regardless of obesity. Cardiovasc Pathol 2020; 51:107313. [PMID: 33242600 DOI: 10.1016/j.carpath.2020.107313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2020] [Revised: 11/16/2020] [Accepted: 11/16/2020] [Indexed: 10/22/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Obesity is a widespread condition that is more prevalent in Western countries compared to others. Aortic atherosclerosis (AA) is a condition that frequently has been associated with obesity. An obesity paradox, where morbidly obese decedents had either no or minimal AA compared to nonobese decedents, recently has been described by some of us. The explanation for this almost counterintuitive paradox has yet to be determined, but a number of hypotheses were advanced, including hemodynamic factors producing aortic wall shear stress (WSS). The purpose of the present study was to determine if there was a relationship between AA and WSS, as determined by postmortem measurement of aortic wall diameters. METHODS Circumferences of the aorta at the levels of the ascending, thoracic and abdominal aorta were measured in 274 consecutive autopsies over 2-year period of time. AA was assessed using a previously described grading scale as either mild or severe. Circumferences were mathematically converted to diameters and WSS was calculated using the Hagen-Poiseuille formula. Two different methods to estimate cardiac output were used, both based on literature methods, one of which was body mass index (BMI) dependent, and the other BMI independent. Univariate and multivariable analyses of the relationship between WSS, age, BMI, gender, race and severity of AA were performed. RESULTS Of the 274 decedents, 140 had mild and 134 had moderate to severe AA. BMI <35 was associated with moderate to severe AA. WSS was inversely correlated with AA in all these segments of the aorta in each BMI subgroup with the exception of the ascending aorta for decedents with BMI ≤35 kg/m2. Contrary to what we had hypothesized, WSS was not a determinant of the obesity paradox. However, among all the variables analyzed, a history of hypertension, diabetes mellitus and age were significant factors for developing AA (relative risk [RR] 0.35, P = .039; RR 1.51, P = .0006, RR 1.19, P = .0001, respectively). CONCLUSIONS Our data demonstrate that WSS was unexpectedly lower in decedents with moderate and severe AA as compared to those with mild AA. This observation, which requires further investigations, was seen in all BMI ranges and was confirmed by 2 methods to calculate WSS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shahzeb Qaisar
- Department of Pathology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Leon D Brodsky
- Department of Pathology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Rolf F Barth
- Department of Pathology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Carl Leier
- Department of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | | | - Vedat Yildiz
- Center for Biostatistics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Xiaokui Mo
- Center for Biostatistics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Patricia Allenby
- Department of Pathology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Stephen Moore
- Department of Pathology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Iouri Ivanov
- Department of Pathology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Wei Chen
- Department of Pathology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Diana Thomas
- Department of Pathology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | | | - Denise Gamble
- Department of Pathology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Ramon Hartage
- Department of Pathology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - George Mao
- Department of Pathology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Jesse Sheldon
- Department of Pathology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - David Sinclair
- Department of Pathology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Jennifer Vazzano
- Department of Pathology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Bradley Zehr
- Department of Pathology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Ashley Patton
- Department of Pathology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Sergey V Brodsky
- Department of Pathology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA.
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Farup PG, Rootwelt H, Hestad K. APOE - a genetic marker of comorbidity in subjects with morbid obesity. BMC MEDICAL GENETICS 2020; 21:146. [PMID: 32646381 PMCID: PMC7346600 DOI: 10.1186/s12881-020-01082-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2019] [Accepted: 07/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Background In population-based studies, the genetic variability of the APOE E alleles have been associated with health outcomes. Health problems are common in subjects with obesity. This study explored associations between the APOE E alleles and comorbidity in subjects with morbid obesity. Methods The study included consecutive subjects referred for evaluation of bariatric surgery with morbid obesity (defined as BMI > 40 or > 35 kg/m2 with complications related to obesity). The subjects followed a conservative weight loss program for 6 months before surgery and had a follow-up visit 12 months after surgery. Demographic data and a set psychosomatic scores (musculoskeletal pain, WHO-5 Well-Being Index, Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, Hopkins Symptom Check-list 10; Epworth Sleepiness Scale, and Fatigue Severity Scale) were collected, and blood samples were analysed for haematological and biochemical parameters and APOE alleles. Results One hundred and forty subjects (men/women: 32 (23%)/108 (77%) with mean age 43.0 (SD 8.7) years and BMI 42.1 (SD 3.8) kg/m2 were included. One hundred and eight and 92 subjects had data after conservative treatment and 12 months after surgery, respectively. The prevalence of the APOE alleles were: E2E2: 1 (0.7%), E2E3: 13 (9.3%), E2E4: 4 (2.9%), E3E3: 71 (50.7%), E3E4: 47 (33.6%), and E4E4: 4 (2.9%). The prevalence rates were as anticipated in a Norwegian population. The weight loss during conservative treatment and after bariatric surgery was independent of E allele variability. E2 was associated with a significant or clear trend toward improvement of all psychosomatic disorders. There was a significant fall in CRP during the two treatment periods with weight loss. E2 and E4 were significantly associated with high and low CRP, respectively, but no associations were seen between CRP and comorbidity. Conclusions The most marked finding was the association between E2 and improvement of all psychosomatic disorders. The positive and negative associations between CRP and E2 and E4, respectively, could indicate effects on inflammation and immunological reactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Per G Farup
- Department of Research, Innlandet Hospital Trust, PB 104, N-2381, Brumunddal, Norway. .,Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, N-7491, Trondheim, Norway.
| | - Helge Rootwelt
- Department of Medical Biochemistry, Oslo University Hospital, N-0424, Oslo, Norway
| | - Knut Hestad
- Department of Research, Innlandet Hospital Trust, PB 104, N-2381, Brumunddal, Norway.,Department of Health- and Nursing Science, Faculty of Social and Health Sciences, Innland Norway University of Applied Sciences, N-2418, Elverum, Norway
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