"Obesity paradox" and takotsubo syndrome

Abstract

Background: An "obesity paradox" has been reported in patients with hypertension and heart failure, in which obese patients fare better than patients with normal-weight. The purpose of this study was to determine whether there is an "obesity paradox" in patients with takotsubo syndrome (TTS).

Methods: The prevalence of obesity in databases/registries of patients with TTS was compared to the prevalence of obesity in world general populations. Obese patients with TTS were explored regarding the stress triggers precipitating the illness, hospital outcome, and post-discharge readmission. Finally, the literature on the "obesity paradox" was explored to understand how it could be applied to TTS.

Results: A prevalence of obesity of ∼10-11% has been reported in large cohorts of patients with TTS, which represents 1/3 to ¼ of the prevalence reported in worldwide general populations, suggesting that, normal-weight than obese individuals, are more predisposed to develop TTS, with the latter nevertheless also suffering TTS, when triggered by enormous physical stresses. Obese patients with TTS are likely to have milder hospital outcomes, lower mortality, and lower rate of early readmission. A greater sympathetic nervous system (SNS) response in a number of hyperadrenergic states in normal-weight than obese patients, may explain findings in patients with TTS.

Conclusions: An "obesity paradox" has been identified in patients with TTS. Reporting on body mass index and other markers of obesity in patients with TTS, and implementing some recommendations on monitoring noninvasively the SNS in patients with TTS, may solidify that obesity has a preventive/ameliorating effect for TTS development and its clinical course.

Keywords: Assessment of obesity; Autonomic sympathetic nervous system; Takotsubo syndrome; “Obesity paradox”; “Obesity paradox” in heart failure; “Obesity paradox” in hypertension.

Fig. 1

NE = epinephrine; HTN: hypertension; SNS = sympathetic nervous system; TTS = takotsubo syndrome. The pictorial material in the composite above is reproduced in a modified form, with the permission of the publisher [4].