title: Association between body mass index and mortality in patients with glioblastoma mutliforme.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the association between obesity and survival in patients with glioblastoma mutliforme (GBM) METHODS: Using a prospective design, 1,259 patients with previously untreated GBM were recruited between 1991 and 2008. Height and weight were self-reported or abstracted from medical records at study entry and used to calculate body mass index (BMI) [weight (kg)/[height (m)](2). Cox proportional models were used to estimate the risk of death associated with BMI as a continuous variable or categorized using established criteria (normal weight, 18.5-24.9 kg/m(2); overweight, 25.0-29.9 kg/m(2); obese, ≥ 30.0 kg/m(2)).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Median follow-up was 40 months, and 1,069 (85%) deaths were observed during this period. For all patients, minimal adjusted analyses indicated no significant association between BMI treated as a continuous variable and survival. Compared with patients with a BMI 18.5-24.9 kg/m(2), the minimally adjusted HR for overall survival was 1.08 (95% CI, 0.94-1.24) for a BMI 25-29.9 kg/m(2) and 1.08 (95% CI, 0.91-28) for a BMI ≥ 30.0 kg/m(2). After additional adjustment for adjuvant therapy, the HR for those with a BMI of 25.0-29.9 kg/m(2) was 1.14 (95% CI, 0.99-1.32) and 1.09 (95% CI, 0.91-1.30) for those with a BMI ≥ 30.0 kg/m(2). No significant interactions were revealed for BMI and any demographic variables.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  BMI was not associated with survival in newly diagnosed and previously untreated patients with GBM. Further research investigating the prognostic significance of alternative, quantitative measures of body habitus, and functional performance are required.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Duke University Medical Center, Box 3085, Durham, NC 27710, USA. lee.w.jones@duke.edu
authors.forename: Lee W
authors.initials: LW
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: Francis
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ali-Osman
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lipp
authors.forename: Jennifer E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Marcello
authors.forename: Bridget
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: McCarthy
authors.forename: Lucie
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: McCoy
authors.forename: Terri
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Rice
authors.forename: Margaret
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wrensch
authors.forename: Dora
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Il'yasova
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000401:mortality; D002423:Cause of Death; D005260:Female; D005909:Glioblastoma / Q000150:complications / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications / Q000401:mortality; D016019:Survival Analysis; D015996:Survival Rate