Obesity and survival in patients with heart failure and preserved systolic function: a U-shaped relationship.
BACKGROUND
Studies document better survival in heart failure patients with decreased left ventricular ejection fraction (EF) and higher body mass index (BMI; kg/m(2)) compared to those with a lower BMI. However, it is unknown if this "obesity paradox" applies to heart failure patients with preserved EF or if it extends to the very obese (BMI >35).


METHODS
We determined all-cause mortality for 1,236 consecutive patients with a prior diagnosis of heart failure and a preserved EF (> or =50%).


RESULTS
Obesity (BMI>30) was noted in 542 patients (44%). The mean age was 71 +/- 12 years, but this varied depending on BMI. One-year all-cause mortality decreased with increasing BMI, except at BMI >45 where mortality began to increase (55% if BMI <20, 38% if BMI 20-25, 26% if BMI 26-30, 25% if BMI 31-35, 17% if BMI 36-40, 18% if BMI 41-45, and 25% if BMI>45, P < .001). After adjustment for patient age, history, medications, and laboratory and echocardiographic parameters, the hazard ratios for total mortality (relative to BMI 26-30) were 1.68 (95% CI, 1.04-2.69) for BMI <20, 1.25 (95% CI, 0.92-1.68) for BMI 20 to 25, 0.99 (95% CI, 0.71-1.36) for BMI 31-35, 0.58 (95% CI, 0.35-0.97) for BMI 36 to 40, 0.79 (95% CI, 0.44-1.4) for BMI 41 to 45, and 1.38 (95% CI 0.74-2.6) for BMI >45 (P < .0001).


CONCLUSIONS
Low BMI is associated with increased mortality in patients with heart failure and preserved systolic function. However, with a BMI of >45, mortality increased, raising the possibility of a U-shaped relationship between BMI and survival.
Kapoor
John R
JR
Division of Cardiology, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA 94305, USA. jkapoor@stanford.edu
Heidenreich
Paul A
PA
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002423:Cause of Death; D015331:Cohort Studies; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D015150:Echocardiography, Doppler; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000401:mortality*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality*; D011336:Probability; D011379:Prognosis; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D012372:ROC Curve; D018570:Risk Assessment; D013318:Stroke Volume / Q000502:physiology*; D016019:Survival Analysis; D018487:Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality