Thrombophilia associated with obesity in ethnic Chinese

OBJECTIVE: To investigate a possible interrelationship between obesity and the coagulation and fibrinolytic systems of ethnic Chinese. DESIGN: The Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factor Two-Township Study, a longitudinal, prospective study in Taiwan, which focuses on the evolution of cardiovascular disease risk factors. MEASUREMENTS: Haemostatic parameters measured in this study included prothrombin time (PT), activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), fibrinogen, factor VIIc, factor VIIIc, antithrombin III and plasminogen. RESULTS: Present data demonstrated that all haemostatic parameters show a dose-dependent change with body weight. PT and APTT shortened with increased body mass index (BMI). Fibrinogen, factor Vile, factor VIIIc, plasminogen and antithrombin III increased with higher BMI. CONCLUSION: The present result shows that haemorrheological abnormalities do exist in obese subjects and this thrombophilic phenomenon sheds further light on the study of higher cardiovascular and cerebrovascular mortality and morbidity in the obese.