Elevated body fat is a risk factor for venous thromboembolism and thrombotic complications

The aim of the study is to analyze the relationship between body composition and BMI with venous thromboembolism (VTE) and major complications: recurrence and post-thrombotic syndrome. Patients and methods: We performed a case-control study of a group of patients with VTE (n=138) and a control group (n=127) with no history of thrombosis. BMI was calculated using the formula: BMI=weight (kg)/height 2 (m). The body composition of each subject was obtained by bioelectrical impedance analysis using the TBF 300a analyzer. Results: Compared to subjects with BMI<25, patients with BMI>30kg/m 2 had more than a five-fold increased risk of developing a thrombotic event (OR: 5.47; 95% CI: 2.56-12.22) and patients with BMI between 25-30 kg/m 2 , had a threefold increased risk (OR: 2.95; 95% CI: 1.58-5.68). Patients with high body fat% had more than twice the risk of having a thrombotic event (OR: 2.72; 95% CI: 1.54-4.91). Higher body fat% was associated with an increased thrombotic risk in women (OR: 9.48; 95% CI: 4.16-23.82) but not in men (OR: 0.52; 95% CI: 0.20-1.31). Conclusion: Our results suggest that patients with elevated percentage of body fat are in a higher risk of develop a venous thrombotic event.