[Obesity and outcomes in the ICU: an observational study].

OBJECTIVES

We examined the relationships among Body Mass Index (BMI) with or without Metabolic Syndrome (MetS), ICU length of stay (ICU-LOS), duration of mechanical ventilation and mortality among ICU patients.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This prospective observational study included all patients hospitalized in a 10-bed polyvalent ICU over a period of one year and seven months. We divided the studied population into 4 groups by BMI values: group A: between 18.5 and 24.9 (n=369); group B1: 25-39.9 without MetS (n=86); B2 group: 25-39.9 with MetS (n=72); group C: >40 (n=42). Major exclusion criteria were: age <18 years, death or cerebral death within 24 hours from ICU admission. The chi square test and the variance analysis were used to compare groups. Variables significantly associated with ICU mortality were entered in a multiple regression model, allowing the determination of independent predictors.

RESULTS

620 patients were included in the study. Their SOFA score was between 8 and 15. Significant differences between B1 and B2 subgroups were observed in ICU-LOS (p <0.01), duration of mechanical ventilation (p <0.01) and ICU mortality (p <0.01). We found no statistically significant differences in mortality between B2 and C groups, as well as between A and B1 groups (42.34%/45.15% vs 16.27%/19.07%, respectively). We found that a BMI >25 with MetS was an independent predictive factor of: lower ICU-LOS, lower duration of mechanical ventilation, higher mortality rate.

CONCLUSIONS

In our study, a BMI >25 with MetS was significantly associated with increased morbidity and mortality in ICU patients.