TITLE:
Optimal Adiposity Measurement and Risk Stratification in Established Ischaemic Stroke
AUTHORS:
Olive Lennon, Catherine Blake
KEYWORDS:
Stroke, Adiposity, Obesity, Abdominal, Measurement, Risk Factors
JOURNAL NAME:
World Journal of Cardiovascular Diseases,
Vol.4 No.13,
December
30,
2014
ABSTRACT: Background: Prevention strategies post-stroke should target risk factor
reduction which includes consideration of weight, diet and lipoprotein
profiles. Limited data informs the optimal adiposity measurement post-stroke to
target those at highest recurrent risk. This study aims to identify adiposity
measurement/s post-stroke that best predict cardiovascular and co-morbid risk. Subjects
and Methods: 142 stroke patients (100 males, 42 females; mean age 63 years)
participated. Adiposity and metabolic profiles included BMI, waist
circumference, waist to height ratio (WHR), triglyceride levels and hypertriglyceridemic
waist. The predictive ability of these measures with indices of cardiovascular
risk (Cardiovascular Risk Score) and co-morbidity (Charlson’s co-morbidity index)
were examined. Results: In hierarchical multiple regression models, age and
gender controlled, waist (p = 0.002),
triglyceride levels (p = 0.006), BMI
and WHR (p = 0.014), uniquely and
significantly contributed to the variance in cardiovascular risk, in their
models. Only one combination of measures (waist and triglyceride levels)
improved the predictive ability of waist in cardiovascular risk stratification
(p = 0.001). In men, waist (p = 0.013) and in women triglyceride
levels (p = 0.012) performed as the
best predictors of cardiovascular risk respectively. No combination of measures
was superior to triglyceride levels in women or waist circumference measures in
men in predicting cardiovascular risk. With Charlson’s co-morbidity index as
the dependent variable, triglyceride levels significantly contributed to
variance of the model with age and gender influences controlled (p = 0.047). No combination of measures
improved the predictive ability of triglyceride
levels for co-morbidity. Conclusion: Waist circumference and triglyceride
levels should form a minimum dataset for adiposity when considering
cardiovascular and comorbid risk post-stroke.