Excess Weight Can Contribute to Higher Incidence of Venous Thromboembolism, Researchers Warn

According to a recent publication in the medical journal Archives of Internal Medicine, overweight and obesity can be a contributing factor in the development of a disease known as a venous thromboembolism. The publication has been based on the results of a study conducted by a team of researchers led by Dr. Sabine Eichinger of the Vienna Medical University. The article states that, while excess weight is a certain risk factor for a first venous thromboembolism, it can also be involved in the development of recurrent attacks of the disease.

The reported research followed health histories of more than a thousand adult patients with symptomatic venous thromboembolism for a period of about four years after their first unprovoked occurrence of the condition. All patients had been off anticoagulant therapy for the entire period of the study. The research did not include pregnant women, patients with secondary thromboembolism, or those receiving antithrombotic, anti-cancer, or anticoagulant medications. In addition, female participants were advised not to use birth control pills.

In the study, the scientists correlated the incidence of recurrent venous thromboembolism with body mass index (BMI) of the patients and came to a conclusion that a higher BMI was linked to more cases of the disease. In particular, overweight individuals, especially men, with BMI equal to or higher than 26.8 percent (moderately to severe overweight patients) exhibited the highest incidence of recurrent venous thromboembolism.

The study authors pointed out that overweight people, particularly those who already developed thrombosis, should take efforts to lose excess weight and maintain their BMI within the healthy parameters. According to the study findings, even some degree of weight loss can be beneficial in diminishing the risks for the disease. People with normal BMI have shown to exhibit a 27 percent lower risk for recurrence. Those patients with thrombosis who are not overweight should strive to keep their BMI normal, since even slight weight gain can contribute to an increase in the thrombosis development.

Previous studies, including a large-scale Nurses Health Study conducted in the USA, demonstrated that overweight and obesity can trigger venous stasis and unhealthy changes in fibrinogen and coagulation mechanism resulting in a higher incidence of venous thromboembolism.

Venous thromboembolism is a widely spread condition, especially among older males. It remains the most common cause of disability and death in patients who have been admitted to hospitals.

Tim Ford