Obesity linked with blood clots in children
A recent study has found that obesity can contribute to the formation of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in children. It is a well-established fact that obesity can cause VTE in adults, however this study found that a high BMI is also a risk factor in children. The study was conducted on 88 patients from 2 to 18 years of age. The authors were particularly concerned as the incidence of paediatric VTE has increased over the last 20 years, along with the rise in childhood obesity.
Even though the data is from a single institution, and the sample size is fairly small, it still suggests that there is an association between paediatric VTE and obesity being demonstrated. Clinicians need to be aware of this association, as it has the potential to result in many more health issues for the children such as recurrent clots, pulmonary embolism (a severe condition where blood flow is restricted to the lungs), post-thrombotic syndrome (which is a painful condition affecting limbs that causes ulceration), or even stroke.
