The obesity paradox: effect of body mass index on 2-years clinical outcome after primary percutaneous coronary intervention in Indonesia.

OBJECTIVE

Several studies demonstrated that a high body mass index (BMI) might actually benefit patients with cardiovascular disease, including coronary heart disease. However, other studies were unable to confirm this paradoxical phenomenon in all populations. Therefore, this study aims to determine the association between BMI and long-term clinical outcomes in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

This was a retrospective cohort study of 400 STEMI patients undergoing PCI. Clinical outcome evaluation was done by face-to-face or phone interview and collecting objective data. Statistical analysis was performed to compare the outcomes between underweight-normal group with overweight-obese group.

RESULTS

The incidence of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) was lower in patients with higher BMI group in 2-years evaluation (24.1% vs. 39.9%; p < 0.001). Multivariate analysis showed that BMI was an independent predictor of MACE and the incidence of recurrent infarction (OR 2.322 [CI 95% 1.505-3.584; p < 0.001]). The risk of MACE reduces as the weight increases, with a nadir of risk reduction for MACE at 28 to 29.0 kg/m2, in which the curve rises after, but remained below the risk associated with BMI of 23 kg/m2.

CONCLUSIONS

In our population, patients with high BMI have a lower incidence of long-term MACE, especially recurrent myocardial infarction, in patients with STEMI undergoing PCI.