Adiposity and Coagulation: Predicting Postinjury Coagulation With Advanced Imaging Analysis

James B Littlejohn; Emily E Grenn; Kristen T Carter; Rebekah Hazlewood; Juliana Sitta; Edward Florez; Candace M Howard; Matthew E Kutcher

doi:10.1016/j.jss.2023.07.048

Adiposity and Coagulation: Predicting Postinjury Coagulation With Advanced Imaging Analysis

J Surg Res. 2023 Dec:292:190-196. doi: 10.1016/j.jss.2023.07.048. Epub 2023 Aug 24.

Authors

James B Littlejohn¹, Emily E Grenn², Kristen T Carter³, Rebekah Hazlewood⁴, Juliana Sitta⁵, Edward Florez⁵, Candace M Howard⁵, Matthew E Kutcher²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Surgery, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, Mississippi. Electronic address: jlittlejohn@umc.edu.
² Department of Surgery, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, Mississippi.
³ Department of Surgery, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
⁴ School of Medicine, University of Mississippi, Jackson, Mississippi.
⁵ Department of Radiology, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, Mississippi.

PMID: 37633248
PMCID: PMC10658990 (available on 2024-12-01)
DOI: 10.1016/j.jss.2023.07.048

Abstract

Introduction: Anatomic distribution of adipose tissue has demonstrated variable associations with hypercoagulability. Utilizing a retrospective analysis of a previously enrolled prospective cohort, we assessed computed tomography (CT) scan-based anthropometric and volumetric measures of adiposity as predictors of postinjury hypercoagulability.

Methods: Segmentation analysis of arrival CT scans in significantly injured patients at a single level-I trauma center enrolled from December 2017 to August 2021 were analyzed for anthropometric indices of waist circumference (WC) and sagittal abdominal diameter (SAD), and volumetric parameters of visceral adipose tissue, superficial/deep subcutaneous adipose tissue, psoas/paravertebral muscle volume, and abdominal wall muscle volume. Associations with thromboelastography (TEG) were explored.

Results: Data from 91 patients showed strong correlations between body mass index and standard anthropometric measures of WC and SAD (P < 0.001); calculated volumes of subcutaneous adipose tissue and visceral adipose tissue (P < 0.001); and ratios of subcutaneous adipose:psoas muscle (SP ratio) and visceral adipose:psoas muscle ratio (both with P < 0.001, respectively). Correlation between TEG maximal amplitude (MA) and body mass index and SAD were not significant, with only weak correlation between TEG-MA and WC (r = 0.238, P = 0.041). Moderate but significant correlations existed between SP ratio and TEG-MA (r = 0.340, P = 0.005), but not visceral adipose:psoas muscle ratio (r = 0.159, P = 0.198). The relationship between TEG-MA and SP ratio remained significant when adjusted for injury severity score and lactate level (b = 0.302, P = 0.001).

Conclusions: SP ratio is more strongly correlated with TEG-MA than standard obesity measures, and independently predicts increasing clot strength/stability after injury. Coagulation-relevant measures of sarcopenic obesity can be measured on CT scan, and may be used to optimize thromboprophylaxis strategies for obese injured patients.

Keywords: Hypercoagulability; Obesity; Visceral adiposity.

Publication types

Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

Adiposity
Anticoagulants
Body Mass Index
Humans
Intra-Abdominal Fat / diagnostic imaging
Obesity / complications
Prospective Studies
Retrospective Studies
Thrombophilia*
Venous Thromboembolism*

Substances

Anticoagulants

Abstract

Publication types

MeSH terms

Substances

Grants and funding