Association between arterial stiffness and fat mass in patients with obesity.

OBJECTIVE: The aim is to observe whether body composition in patients with high-risk obesity (body mass index >35 or between 30 and 34.9kg/m2 with a waist circumference greater than 102cm in men or greater than 88cm in women) is related with vascular disease. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study of patients with high-risk obesity. Their fat mass was measured through bioimpedance and arterial stiffness through pulse wave velocity (PWV). Tertiles of patients were analyzed according to PWV distribution. RESULTS: A total of 59 patients were analyzed. As PWV increased, BMI (p=0.02) and fat mass content (p<0.00) increased. There was also a significant increase in inflammation indicators. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with high-risk obesity, there were differences in their body composition which were associated with changes in arterial stiffness and inflammatory burden.