Original Research Article
Year: 2018 | Month: September | Volume: 8 | Issue: 9 | Pages: 27-34
Anthropometric Indices as Predictors to Blood Gases Changes among Infantry Military Personnel
Ainsah Omar1, Mohd Rawi Mohd Norddin2, Osman Che Bakar3, Ahmad Hakim Osman4, Arina Amalina Osman5, Maslinda Mohd Kasim6, Ahmad Zakuan Kamarudin7, Zul Azlin Razali8
1Professor of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Defence Health, National Defence University of Malaysia, Sungai Besi, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia,
2Brig Gen (Military Medical Doctor, Specialist), Military Hospital, Camp Terendak, Melaka, Malaysia,
3Professor of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University Teknologi MARA, Sungai Buloh, Selangor, Malaysia,
4Medical Doctor, Sungai Buloh Hospital, Selangor Malaysia
5Medical Student, Faculty of Medicine, Management Science University, Shah Alam, Selangor
6Kol Dr /Pathologist, Department of Pathology, Tuanku Mizan Military Hospital, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia,
7Brig Gen/Pathologist, Faculty of Medicine, International Islamic University, Pandan Utama Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
8Psychiatrist, Faculty of Medicine, Islamic Science University of Malaysia, Pandan Utama Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Corresponding Author: Ainsah Omar
ABSTRACT
Background: Obesity induced pulmonary dysfunctions has been well documented but little is known about the relationship between obesity and blood gases. This study examined the association between obesity related anthropometric measurements and blood gases changes among military personnel.
Methods: A total of 103 healthy military personnel were recruited, their anthropometric indices namely Body Mass Index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), hip circumference (HC), waist-hip-ratio (WHR) and percentage of body fat (PBF) were obtained. 1 ml of arterial blood was withdrawn from the radial artery for arterial blood gases analysis.
Results: 75.2% (n=79) and 24.8% (n=26) of subjects with and without obesity, respectively. PaO2 was significantly inversely correlated with BMI, (r = -0.435, p = 0.000), WC (r = -0.345, p = 0.000), WHR (r = -0.227, p = 0.021) and PBF(r = -0.418, p = 0.000). The pCO2 was significantly correlated with BMI (r = -0.226, p=0.022), WC (r=0.256, p=0.000), HC (r=0.432, p=0.000), WHR (0.225, p=0.022) and PBF (0.319, p=0.001). The BMI, WC, WHR and PBF (except HR), were also significantly inversely correlated with low Pa HCO3- (r = -0.275, p = 0.005), (r = -0.291, p=0.003), (r = -0.3, p=0.002) and (r= -0.319, p=0.001) respectively. Conclusion: All the anthropometric measurements studied except HC were predictors for blood gases changes in individuals with obesity. Both overall and central obesity were associated with hypoxemia, hypercapnia and low bicarbonate suggesting that blood gases changes could be due to combination of obesity-induced physical mechanical respiratory changes, fat contents and obesity related biochemical.
Key words: obesity, anthropometric indices and blood gases