Obesity Paradox in Patients With Deep Venous Thrombosis

Abstract

We aimed to investigate the association between obesity and deep venous thrombosis (DVT) in a country with a high prevalence of obesity. This is a retrospective cohort study of patients who presented with DVT between 2008 and 2012. Data were analyzed and compared based on body mass index (BMI), and patients were classified into normal (<25), overweight (≥25 to <30), obese I (30 to <35), obese II (35 to <40), and obese III (≥40). Among 662 patients with DVT, 28% were overweight and 49% were obese. The mean age was 50.3 (16.5) years, and 51% were females. Diabetes mellitus and prior venous thromboembolism were significantly higher among obese patients. History of malignancy was more common in nonobese patients. Protein S and antithrombin III deficiency and hyperhomocysteinemia were more prevalent among morbid obese patients. Also, obese patients had higher incidence of thrombosis in the distal veins ( P = .03). Warfarin use and long-term therapy were more frequent in obese than nonobese. Postthrombotic syndrome was comparable in obese and nonobese groups. Recurrent DVT was higher in obese I ( P < .01), whereas mortality rates were greater in nonobese groups ( P = .001). Malignancy, diabetes mellitus, and common femoral vein involvement were predictors of mortality, whereas BMI ≥30 was the predictor of survival. Cox regression models showed that after adjusting for age, sex, pulmonary embolism, and duration of warfarin treatment, BMI ≥40 had better survival (hazard ratio: 0.177, 95% confidence interval: 0.045-0.691, P = .013). There is a significant association between obesity and DVT. Obese patients have characteristic risk factors and better survival. This obesity paradox needs further studies to assess its clinical and pharmacotherapeutic implications.