Is Obesity a Real Risk Factor in Cardiosurgical Procedures?

Overview

Aim:
Obesity is generally presented to be a risk factor in surgical procedures including the cardiac ones. The aim of this work was to conduct a retrospective study comparing surgical results of the cardiosurgical procedures depending on each patient‘ s body mass index data (BMI).

Methodology:
All 4266 patients operated by our team during 1998–2002 have been included in the study. The patient subjects were allocated in 5 groups according to their individual BMIs. Preoperative, peroperative and postoperative data of all groups were compared.

Results:
There were no significant differences in the preoperative and peroperative data between the groups. The postoperative results showed no statistical differences between the individual groups, indicating a trend towards better results in the groups with higher BMIs. On the contrary, the results of the group with the BMI of less than 20 kg/m² were the worst, however they were also of no statistical significance.

Conclusion:
The restrospective study did not prove the obesity to be a risk factor in cardiosurgical procedures. On the contrary, it suggested the BMI of less than 20 kg/m² to be a risk factor.

Key words:
obesity – overweight – body mass index – surgery – heart