AUTHOR=Pu Shoufang , Yin Lidan , Wen Bi , He Juan 

TITLE=The Association of Body Mass Index With the Risk of Pulmonary Hypertension in Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Observational Studies

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Medicine

VOLUME=Volume 8 - 2021

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/medicine/articles/10.3389/fmed.2021.680223

DOI=10.3389/fmed.2021.680223

ISSN=2296-858X

ABSTRACT=Backgrounds: findings regarding the association of body mass index (BMI) and obesity with pulmonary hypertension are conflicting, and there is no systematic review and meta-analysis to summarize the results. Therefore, the purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis is to assess this relationship.  
Methods: To detect the relevant articles, PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar were searched until February 2021. Included essays were pooled using a random-effect model. I2 test was applied to assess between-study heterogeneity. 
Results: Sixteen articles (13 cross-sectional and three cohort studies) were included in the meta-analysis. The meta-analysis of cross-sectional studies indicated that obese persons had an increased risk of pulmonary hypertension than non-obese people (Summary Effect Estimate: 1.59 (95% CI: 1.08, 2.32, I2=93). Furthermore, The summary OR for a one-unit increment in BMI was 1.01 (95%CI: 0.99, 1.03), with high heterogeneity, I2= 73.5 %, P heterogeneity <0.001). 
Conclusion: when comparing obese and non-obese subjects, there is a positive link between obesity and risk of pulmonary hypertension, but no relationship was seen in linear model analysis. However, further prospective and trial studies are required to confirm these findings.