Effects of Body Mass Index on the Lipid Profile and Biomarkers of Inflammation and a Fibrinolytic and Prothrombotic State.
OBJECTIVE
Both an overweight status and obesity are associated with high cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of obesity on different underlying mechanisms, i.e. inflammation, fibrinolysis and a prothrombotic state, in a young high-risk population in the Mediterranean area.


METHODS
The study population included 237 subjects (median age: 44 years). We recorded the presence of cardiovascular risk factors and premature ischaemic heart disease and performed weight stratification using the body mass index (BMI) according to the established World Health Organization (WHO) criteria. We also measured the serum/plasma lipid, fibrinogen, D-dimer, von Willebrand factor, tissue plasminogen activator antigen (t-PA), plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 antigen (PAI-1) and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (CRP-hs) levels in samples of peripheral blood.


RESULTS
The subjects with premature ischaemic heart disease and hypertension had higher BMI values (p＜0.01), and the subjects with an increased weight showed an unadjusted detrimental lipid profile, with a proinflammatory, prothrombotic state and abnormal fibrinolytic parameters. According to a multivariate analysis, the HDL-cholesterol (r(2)=0.176; p＜0.001), t-PA antigen (r(2)=0.235; p＜0.001), PAI-1 antigen (r(2)=0.164; p＜0.001) and CRP-hs (r(2)=0.096; p=0.019) levels were significantly related to the weight stratification.


CONCLUSIONS
A high BMI is a common finding in young populations at high risk of cardiovascular disease. In the current study, the patients with an increased BMI demonstrated an unhealthy lipid profile, as well as a proinflammatory and prothrombotic state and abnormal fibrinolytic parameters.
Department of Cardiology, Hospital Universitario Virgen de la Arrixaca, Instituto Murciano de Investigación Biosanitaria Virgen de la Arrixaca (IMIB-Arrixaca), Universidad de Murcia.
Esteban
E
Orenes-Piñero
Javier
J
Pineda
Vanessa
V
Roldán
Diana
D
Hernández-Romero
Pascual
P
Marco
Antonio
A
Tello-Montoliu
Francisco
F
Sogorb
Mariano
M
Valdés
Gregory Y H
GY
Lip
Francisco
F
Marín
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005340:Fibrinogen / Q000032:analysis; D005342:Fibrinolysis; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism; D007249:Inflammation / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000032:analysis*; D008055:Lipids / Q000032:analysis*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D013927:Thrombosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology
D015415:Biomarkers; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D008055:Lipids; D005340:Fibrinogen