Elevated levels of fibrinogen in metabolically obese normal-weight subjects: A cross-sectional analysis of a sample of Peruvian inhabitants

Introduction: Plasmatic fibrinogen is known as a main risk factor to cardiometabolic diseases through mechanisms such as thrombin formation, platelet aggregation and inflammation, part of the endothelial dysfunction leading to Acute Coronary Syndrome. Elevated fibrinogen levels may be present in subjects with obesity; however, there is no enough information on whether this is also the same among metabolically obese normal -weight subjects (MONW). Objective: To determine the association between being MONW and fibrinogen levels in a sample of Peruvian inhabitants. Methodology: Cross-sectional analytical study. Secondary data analysis of the PERU MIGRANT study (2007, 989 participants). For the diagnosis of MONW, it was considered if it presented two or more characteristics such as: waist circumference (anthropometric evaluation), triglycerides, fasting glucose, systolic blood pressure or diastolic blood pressure, HDL-cholesterol, insulin resistance through HOMA-IR, C -reactive protein. Elevated fibrinogen 450 mg/dl was considered. For regression analysis we used generalized linear model with link log and family Poisson with robust variance. We present crude prevalence ratio and adjusted by mentioned variables, as association parameter. We considered confidence interval 95%. Results: Of the 393 selected participants, 46.3% were women, the median of age was 47(37-56), only 13.5% had elevated fibrinogen levels. The prevalence of the MONW subject was 32.67%. In the correlation analysis, there was only a statistically significant relationship between fibrinogen and plasma CRP (rho= 0.54; p<0.001). In multiple regression, association was found between being MONW and high plasma fibrinogen levels (PR=1.93, 95% CI: 1.44-2.57; p<0.001). Conclusion: There is an association between high levels of plasmatic fibrinogen and MONW. These results can serve as a first step for future prospective research, either to be a risk factor or as an additional marker of consideration for monitoring and diagnosis in normal -weight people.