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Obesity and SepsisWake Forest University Health Sciences Center, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, vvidula{at}hotmail.com
Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, Shreveport, Louisiana Obesity has reached epidemic proportions over the last few decades. Obesity is associated with increased morbidity and mortality in hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, stroke, and cancer and is feared to decrease overall life expectancy over the next few decades. There is a growing body of evidence suggesting that obesity is a chronic inflammatory disease. Obesity is becoming a cause of concern in critically ill patients as well. Sepsis is the number one cause of morbidity and mortality in noncoronary artery disease critical care units all over the world and is associated with a high cost of care. An increase in morbidity in obese septic patients compared with lean people is a cause of growing concern. Laboratory evidence suggests that there is exaggeration in the inflammatory and prothrombogenic phenotype assumed by obese compared with lean septic animals. The exact mechanisms underlying this phenomenon are unknown. This article reviews some of the pathophysiological processes responsible for the underlying inflammation in obesity and sepsis and reviews the literature for the association of the two.
Key Words: obesity • sepsis • inflammation • cecal ligation and puncture
Journal of Intensive Care Medicine, Vol. 21, No. 5,
287-295 (2006) This article has been cited by other articles:
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