Body Mass Index and Mortality Among Adults Undergoing Cardiac Surgery: A Nationwide Study With a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors' conclusion
Obesity is associated with lower risks after cardiac surgery, with consistent effects noted in multiple analyses attempting to address residual confounding and reverse causation.
Study context
- Population
- Adults undergoing cardiac surgery, National Adult Cardiac Surgery registry, April 2002–March 2013; systematic review through June 2015cohort
- Participants
- 401,227 adults
- Comparison
- BMI categories vs normal weight
- Outcome
- Mortality
Pooled result
As reported in the abstract
Estimate (95% CI)
Overweight vs Normal weight
adjusted OR 0.79(0.76–0.83)
Obese class I vs Normal weight
OR 0.81(0.76–0.86)
Obese class II vs Normal weight
OR 0.83(0.74–0.94)
Underweight vs Normal weight
OR 1.51(1.41–1.62)
Further pooled results
Stroke, low cardiac output syndrome, renal replacement therapy, deep sternal wound infection (cohort)
- U-shaped relationship for stroke and low cardiac output syndrome but not for renal replacement therapy or deep sternal wound infection
Protective effect of obesity, by subgroup
- Less in severe chronic renal, lung or cardiac disease; greater in older patients and those with metabolic syndrome or atherosclerosis
Original publication
Body Mass Index and Mortality Among Adults Undergoing Cardiac Surgery: A Nationwide Study With a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Circulation. Published 28 December 2016. doi:10.
Summarised from the published abstract; every number is checked against it