Relationship of Body Adiposity with Platelet Function in Obese and Non-obese Individuals

Ishfaq A Bukhari; Syed S Habib; Alaa Alnahedh; Futoon Almutairi; Lama Alkahtani; Latefa A Alareek; Ghadah A Assiri

doi:10.7759/cureus.6815

Relationship of Body Adiposity with Platelet Function in Obese and Non-obese Individuals

Cureus. 2020 Jan 29;12(1):e6815. doi: 10.7759/cureus.6815.

Authors

Ishfaq A Bukhari¹, Syed S Habib², Alaa Alnahedh³, Futoon Almutairi³, Lama Alkahtani³, Latefa A Alareek³, Ghadah A Assiri⁴

Affiliations

¹ Pharmacology, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, SAU.
² Physiology Department, College of Medicine and King Saud University Medical City, King Saud University, Riyadh, SAU.
³ Pharmacology Section, College of Medicine and King Saud University Medical City, King Saud University, Riyadh, SAU.
⁴ Clinical Pharmacology Department, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh, SAU.

Abstract

Background Adiposity is firmly linked to a higher incidence of various cardiovascular and metabolic morbidities, including diabetes, hypertension, and thromboembolism. This research study was aimed to verify the association of increased adiposity and hyperreactivity of platelets in obese and non-obese individuals. Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted on 42 subjects aged 18 years and above. Subjects were divided into obese and non-obese groups based on their body mass index (BMI). The data was collected through self-administered questionnaires. All participants underwent body composition analysis. Blood samples were collected from all subjects and taken to the Pharmacology Department for the preparation of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and poor platelet plasma (PPP). Platelet aggregation was induced by arachidonic acid and was monitored with a Bio/Data multichannel aggregation profiler (Bio/Data Corp., Horsham, PA, USA). Results Significant differences were observed in most parameters, such as fat mass, body fat percentage, free fat mass (FFM), the percentage of trunk fat, total body water, waist-hip ratio (WHR), and basal metabolic rate (BMR) of obese and non-obese subjects. The average percent of platelet aggregation in obese and non-obese subjects was 56.33 ± 15.62 and 59.38 ± 12.62, respectively. The average area under the curve (AUC) for platelet aggregation for both groups was 339.33 ± 191.55 and 342 ± 146.68, respectively. Platelet function was not significantly different and didn't positively correlate with most parameters of the body composition, except WHR, which positively correlated with AUC for platelet function. Conclusion There was no significant direct correlation between adiposity and platelet activation in obese subjects. However, a significant positive correlation of AUC for platelet aggregation with WHR was observed (resistance (r)-value: 0.307, p < 0.05). These findings suggest that WHR could be an effective determinant to assess the risk of thromboembolism in obese individuals.

Keywords: adiposity; body composition; obesity; platelet function.

Grants and funding

The authors acknowledge the financial support of Prince Abdullah Ben Khalid Celiac Disease Research Chair, Vice Deanship of Research Chairs, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.