Body mass index and myocardium at risk in patients with acute coronary syndrome

• Published in: Revista clínica espanõla (English edition) Vol. 214; no. 3; p. 113
• Main Authors: Arrebola-Moreno, A L, Marfil-Alvarez, R, Catena, A, García-Retamero, R, Arrebola, J P, Melgares-Moreno, R, Ramirez-Hernández, J A, Kaski, J C
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Spain 01.04.2014
• Subjects: Acute Coronary Syndrome - epidemiology; Acute Coronary Syndrome - etiology; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Body Mass Index; Cross-Sectional Studies; Female; Humans; Linear Models; Male; Middle Aged; Myocardium - pathology; Obesity - epidemiology; Overweight - epidemiology; Risk Factors; Síndrome coronario agudo; Paradoja de la obesidad; Obesity paradox; Puntuación BARI; Acute coronary syndrome; Acute myocardial infarction; BARI score; Infarto agudo de miocardio
• ISSN: 2254-8874; 2254-8874
• DOI: 10.1016/j.rce.2013.12.004

Whilst traditional studies have shown that obese individuals are at a higher risk of cardiovascular events compared to lean subjects, recent studies in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) have suggested that obesity may exert protective effects (the "obesity paradox"). We sought to assess the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and the BARI score (BARIsc), a validated tool used to assess myocardium at risk, in patients with acute coronary syndrome. Participants were 116 consecutive patients (mean age, 60.6 years; 97 men) with AMI (68 ST elevated myocardial infarction, STEMI; 48 non-ST elevated myocardial infarction, NSTEMI). Demographics, BMI, risk factors, biochemistry data, left ventricular function, angiographic data and the BARIsc were assessed in every patient. Multiple linear regression analyses showed that BMI significantly correlated with BARIsc; β=.23, p<0.02. This was found only in the overweight/obese patients, β=.27, p<0.01, but not in patients with normal BMIs, β=0.08, p=0.71. An increased body weight is associated with an increased area of myocardium at risk in patients with ACS.