Obesity strongly linked to pulmonary embolism and deep venous thrombosisSeptember 09, 2005Since 1927, obesity has been thought to be a risk factor for fatal pulmonary embolism (PE). Because of the high proportion of obesity in the general population, previous studies have not determined whether obesity is an independent risk factor for PE or deep venous thrombosis (DVT). In an extensive study published in the September issue of The American Journal of Medicine, researchers from St. Joseph Mercy Oakland Hospital, Pontiac, Michigan; Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan; and Oakland University, Rochester, Michigan; analyzed over 20 years of patient records compiled by the National Hospital Discharge Survey (NHDS) to further investigate the potential risk of obesity in venous thromboembolism. The investigators concluded that obesity is a risk factor for venous thromboembolic disease in men as well as women, particularly those under age 40. The NHDS is comprehensive in its scope including data on patients of all races and ages obtained annually from 181,000 to 307,000 sampled patient abstracts from 400 to 494 non-Federal short-stay hospitals in 50 states and the District of Columbia. There were more than 12,000,000 obese patients and almost 700,000,000 non-obese patients in the sampled data. The relative risk of DVT, comparing obese patients with non-obese patients, was 2.50. The relative risk of PE was 2.21. Obese females had a greater relative risk for DVT than obese males, 2.75 versus 2.02. Obesity had the greatest impact on patients aged less than 40 years, in whom the relative risk for PE in obese patients was 5.19 and the relative risk for DVT was 5.20. In females aged less than 40 years, the relative risk for DVT comparing obese with non-obese patients was 6.10. In males less than 40 years of age, the relative risk for DVT was 3.71. Paul D. Stein, MD, writes "Now that we know with certainty that obesity is a risk factor for PE, particularly in men and women under age 40, the presence of obesity may alert physicians to a possibility of the diagnosis. The diagnosis of PE is frequently missed even though PE is the third most common acute cardiovascular disease after myocardial infarction and stroke." Elsevier Health Sciences |
|||||||||||||||||||||
| Related Obesity Current Events and Obesity News Articles Patient's weight not linked to success of fibroid surgery Obese patients are no more likely to have post-operative complications than those of average weight when undergoing robotic surgery to remove uterine fibroids, according to a study at Henry Ford Hospital. Scripps research scientists find new link between insulin and core body temperature A team led by scientists at The Scripps Research Institute have discovered a direct link between insulin-a hormone long associated with metabolism and metabolic disorders such as diabetes-and core body temperature. Night Beat, Overtime and a Disrupted Sleep Pattern Can Harm Officers' Health A police officer who works the night shift, typically from 8 p.m. to 4 a.m., already is at a disadvantage when it comes to getting a good "night's" sleep. Fat collections linked to decreased heart function Researchers from Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) have shown that fat collection in different body locations, such as around the heart and the aorta and within the liver, are associated with certain decreased heart functions. Teens' mental health affects how long they stay in school, new study shows Queen's University researcher Steven Lehrer has won a prestigious international award in recognition of his contributions to health economics. Playing sport up to the end of pregnancy is healthy for the baby and the mother Contrary to more conservative customs, exercising up to the end of pregnancy has no harmful effect on the weight or size of the foetus. Harvard nutrition expert offers family physician group no-cost alternative to funding from Coca-Cola Leading Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) nutrition and health researcher Walter Willett, M.D., Dr. P.H., has written a letter to the President-elect of the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) offering an alternative to the organization's decision, announced in October, to accept a six-figure grant from the Coca-Cola Company to develop web content on beverages and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. New paper describes connections between Circadian and metabolic systems A paper by University of Notre Dame biologist Giles Duffield and a team of researchers offers new insights into a gene that plays a key role in modulating the body's Circadian system and may also simultaneously modulate its metabolic system. Aileron collaborates study in Nature: Stapled peptides inhibit Notch1 transcription factor This research validates the potential for Stapled Peptides to modulate key intracellular biological targets, such as transcription factors, that have not been addressable with current small molecule or biologic drug modalities. Worksite wellness programs may reduce employee absenteeism Emory University Rollins School of Public Health researchers will present Nov. 11 on a range of topics at the American Public Health Association's annual meeting in Philadelphia, including a study that found reduced absenteeism among employees participating in a large-scale worksite wellness program. More Obesity Current Events and Obesity News Articles |
|||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||