Body mass index and poststroke mortality.
BACKGROUND
Obesity is an established cardiovascular risk factor. We studied the association between body mass index (BMI) and all-cause mortality after stroke.


METHODS
A registry started in 2001 with the aim to register all hospitalized stroke patients in Denmark now includes 21,884 patients in whom BMI was recorded. There are five BMI groups: underweight (BMI < 18.5), normal weight (BMI 18.5-24.9), overweight (BMI 25.0-29.9), obese (BMI 30.0-34.9) and severely obese (BMI > or = 35). All patients underwent an evaluation including stroke severity, computed tomography, and cardiovascular risk factors. Survival was followed up to 5 years after stroke (median 1.5 years). Independent predictors of death were identified by means of a survival model based on 13,242 individuals with a complete data set.


RESULTS
Compared to normal-weight patients, mortality was lower in overweight [hazard rate (HR) 0.73, 95% CI 0.66-0.81], obese (HR 0.84, 95% CI 0.73-0.98) and severely obese stroke patients (HR 0.84, 95% CI 0.64-1.10), while mortality was higher in underweight patients (HR 1.63, 95% CI 1.41-1.90).


CONCLUSIONS
Poststroke mortality is inversely related to BMI: overweight and obese stroke patients have a lower poststroke mortality rate than normal-weight and underweight patients.
Olsen
Tom Skyhøj
TS
The Stroke Unit, Hvidovre University Hospital, Hvidovre, Denmark. Tom.Skyhoej.Olsen@hvh.regionh.dk
Dehlendorff
Christian
C
Petersen
Hans Gregers
HG
Andersen
Klaus Kaae
KK
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015992:Body Mass Index; D015331:Cohort Studies; D015897:Comorbidity; D003718:Denmark / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D020521:Stroke / Q000401:mortality*; D016019:Survival Analysis