Association between the phenotype of metabolically healthy obesity and the risk of myocardial infarction

Abstract

Abstract Aim This study aimed to investigate the associations between the metabolically healthy obesity (MHO) and the risk of myocardial infarction (MI) in a Russian population sample. Materials and methods A random population sample of men and women aged 45–69 years old at baseline was examined in 2003–2005 in a Russian city; after that the cohort was followed-up for 12 years on the average (2003–2016). A sub-cohort of subjects with body mass index (BMI) ≥30 kg/m2 at baseline was selected for present study (3157 individuals, 73.2% women); of those, 3008 subjects free from baseline history of MI/acute CHD was included for analysis. The data on incident myocardial infarction (MI) were ascertained from register of MI, two repeated examinations and repeated postal interviews during 12-year follow-up of the cohort. We used two definitions of MHO: by NCEP ATPIII, 2001 (the presence of 2 or less components of the metabolic syndrome) and by IDF 2005 (waist circumference (WC) ≥94 cm in men and ≥80 cm in women regardless of risk factors). Multivariable Cox regression was conducted using the SPSS package (V. 13.0). Results The prevalence of MHO at baseline ranged from 20% (by IDF) to 45% (by NCEPATPIII) in obese sub-cohort. Among subjects with MHO at baseline, about one half of subjects developed metabolically unhealthy obesity phenotype (MUO) during 12-years. Women were more likely to retain MHO (32%) and more frequent transited from MUO to MHO (14%) compared to men (22% and 6% by IDF criteria, correspondently) during 12 years. The relative risk of incident MI in subjects with MUO at baseline was 1.9 times higher than in those with MHO (HR 1.9, 95% CI 1.2–2.9) by NCEPATP III. Among men, the relative risk of MI in those with MUO (by NCEP ATP III) was 2 times higher than in a group with MHO (HR 2.1, 95% CI 1.1–4.0). Among women, the relative risk of MI in those with MUO (by NCEP ATP III) was 2.2 (95% CI 1.2- 4.2) compared to MHO group. Using the IDF criteria, the relative risk of MI in MUO vs. MHO was 2.2 (95% CI 0.9–5.7) in men and 2.2 (95% CI: 0.9–5.7) in women. Conclusions In this study population, men aged 45–69 have more frequent progression from metabolically healthy to metabolically unhealthy obesity during 12 years compared to women. The 12-year risk of incident MI in subjects with MUO was approximately twice higher compared to MHO and the excess risk was similar in men and women. Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding source: Public grant(s) – EU funding. Main funding source(s): Wellcom Trust