title: Burden of abdominal obesity in cardiac rehabilitation patients: Results from the Swiss CaRe study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The burden of abdominal obesity (AO) and its association with other cardiovascular risk factors is not known in coronary artery disease (CAD) patients attending cardiac rehabilitation (CR). The aim of this study was, therefore, to investigate the prevalence of AO and differences in cardiovascular risk factors between AO and non-AO patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  415 consecutive male CAD patients (mean age 58 ± 11 years) attending a three-month outpatient CR programme were assessed. Differences in cardiovascular risk profile, including blood lipids, psychosocial and socioeconomic status and exercise capacity, were compared in relation to AO and checked for obesity measured by body-mass index (BMI) in a multivariate analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean waist circumference was 102 ± 11 cm. Patients of lower educational level had a higher prevalence of AO (p = 0.021) than patients with a higher educational level. AO was significantly associated with diabetes (p = 0.003) and hypertension (p <0.001). In AO patients, HDL-C levels were lower (p <0.001) and triglyceride levels higher (p = 0.006) than in non-AO patients. There was no difference in exercise capacity between AO and non-AO patients, but AO patients had a higher resting heart rate (p = 0.021).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  AO is highly prevalent in CAD patients attending CR. AO is, independently of BMI, associated with metabolic lipid disorders and autonomic cardiovascular dysregulation, suggesting an increased cardiovascular risk. AO patients therefore need particular attention during CR and follow-up care.
authors.affiliation: Cardiovascular Prevention & Rehabilitation, Swiss Cardiovascular Centre Bern, University Hospital and University of Bern, 3010 Bern, Switzerland. ronald.binder@insel.ch
authors.forename: Ronald K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Binder
authors.forename: Jürgen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Barth
authors.forename: Jean-Paul
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Schmid
authors.forename: Hugo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Saner
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D015992:Body Mass Index; D000072038:Cardiac Rehabilitation; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology; D005080:Exercise Test; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D056128:Obesity, Abdominal / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D013557:Switzerland / Q000453:epidemiology