Effects of Body Mass Index on the Lipid Profile and Biomarkers of Inflammation and a Fibrinolytic and Prothrombotic State

Abstract

Aim: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. J Atheroscler Thromb, 2015; 22: 610-617.

Genetic Analysis of Venous Thromboembolism in UK Biobank Identifies the ZFPM2 Locus and Implicates Obesity as a Causal Risk Factor

“…In this study, human genetic evidence supports a causal role for obesity in risk for VTE. Recent work has suggested that the pro-inflammatory state induced by obesity may result in impaired fibrinolysis and an increased risk of VTE 51 . As such, therapies targeting the obesity epidemic to reduce the burden of cardiometabolic disease may also mitigate the rising incidence of VTE events 44 .…”

HIV and Obesity Comorbidity Increase Interleukin 6 but Not Soluble CD14 or D-Dimer

“…Likewise, D-dimer was not associated with obesity in a cohort of uninfected participants. 33 These studies, which did not compare HIV+ with uninfected participants in the same cohort, have limited ability to comment on the differential impact of obesity on these biomarkers in those living with HIV versus without HIV infection.…”

“…These three biomarkers were chosen because they represent different inflammatory pathways, and are altered in the context of HIV and obesity. 23,30-33 …”

Endothelial and Metabolic Function Interactions in Overweight/Obese Children:

“…These results were in contrast with some previous literature studies, 11,[49][50][51][52] which reported the influence of such parameters on endothelial function and on vascular wall morphological structure. In fact, OrenesPiñero et al 53) pointed out the correlation between BMI and coagulation parameters, observing an increased prothrombotic status in adult subjects suffering from increased body weight.…”