Obesity paradox in relation to AAA CPET

Obesity talk in relation to CPET before repair of AAA open or endo.

Looks like from either Preston or Blackpool

Proportion of obese patients undergoing elective AAA repair is increasing

Retrospective review of vascular dabatabase over 5y period

224 EVAR

74 Open

Similar BMI % in both categories.

Overall ventilatory equivalents were significantly higher in the normal weight group than the overweight and obese groups

The difference in AT was only significant between the normal weight and obese groups

- evidence of conscious selection bias towards EVAR in pts with respiratory comprosimse

- Higher VEs are more ‘accepted’ in the normal weight group

Chair comments: the paradox is even stronger rather than the study explaining the paradox.