Why the study?
While obesity is typically linked to increased morbidity and mortality, chronic disease populations often exhibit an obesity paradox, prompting investigation into the relationship between BMI, mortality, and length of hospital stay in general surgical patients.
Does higher BMI reduce mortality in patients hospitalized to general surgical wards?
Population
27,639 patients hospitalized to general surgical wards
Comparison
Underweight vs normal weight vs overweight vs obesity vs severe obesity
Design
Retrospective cohort study
Key result
Higher body mass index was inversely associated with 30-day mortality in surgical patients with diabetes (10% for underweight, 6% for normal weight, 1% for severely obese) and without diabetes.
Authors
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Should not yet change BMI-based perioperative risk assessment; supports obesity paradox in surgical patients but remains hypothesis-generating.
Cohort (n=27,639)
Does higher BMI reduce mortality in patients hospitalized to general surgical wards?
Odds Ratio: 1.3 (95% CI 1.2–1.5)
Higher BMI is associated with lower short- and long-term mortality in general surgical patients, supporting the 'obesity paradox'.
Dotan et al. (2021) conducted a cohort in General surgical patients (n=27,639). Body mass index (BMI) vs. Normal weight (18.5-24.9) was evaluated on 30-day mortality, end-of-follow-up mortality, and length of hospital stay (OR 1.3, 95% CI 1.2-1.5). Higher body mass index was inversely associated with 30-day mortality in surgical patients with diabetes (10% for underweight, 6% for normal weight, 1% for severely obese) and without diabetes.
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