Association Between Body Mass Index and Morbidity and Mortality During Hospitalization After Trauma

Area of Science:

• Trauma surgery
• Clinical outcomes research
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Unhealthy body mass index (BMI) is a recognized risk factor for adverse clinical outcomes.
• Understanding BMI's impact on trauma patients is crucial for improving care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between various body mass index (BMI) categories and morbidity and mortality following trauma.
• Utilized the 2016 American College of Surgeons Trauma Quality Improvement Program database.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review comparing normal weight individuals to underweight, overweight, obese, severely obese, and morbidly obese groups.
• Analyzed demographic factors, injury severity, comorbidities, length of stay, and complication rates.

Main Results:

• All unhealthy BMI categories (underweight to morbidly obese) were linked to increased complication probability post-trauma.
• A J-shaped curve indicated both high and low BMIs correlated with mortality; morbidly obese and underweight patients had the highest rates.
• Overweight and obese BMIs were independently associated with significantly lower mortality odds.

Conclusions:

• Regardless of comorbidities or injury severity, underweight to morbidly obese BMIs independently increase trauma morbidity risk.
• Overweight and obese BMIs were paradoxically associated with reduced mortality risk in trauma patients.
• The relationship between BMI and clinical outcomes in trauma is complex and warrants further investigation.