Obesity promotes injury induced femoral artery thrombosis in mice.

An FeCl(3) induced femoral arterial thrombosis model was applied to lean (47+/-1.4 g) and obese (64+/-1.7 g) mice (Swiss genetic background) in order to study the relation between obesity and thrombotic risk. As compared to lean mice, obese mice showed a significantly shorter occlusion time (9.9+/-1.0 min versus 13+/-0.5 min; p=0.04) and lower total blood flow (37+/-7.3% versus 69+/-6.7%; p=0.008). A significant negative correlation was observed between body weight and both occlusion time (r=-0.57; p=0.014) and blood flow (r=-0.57; p=0.028). Analysis of the coagulation profile revealed significantly higher levels of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), thrombin-antithrombin complex, Factor V activity and combined Factors II/VII/X activity, and moderately elevated Factor VIII activity in obese mice. The degree of arterial damage and the thrombus extension were, however, not significantly different. A significant positive correlation was observed between body weight and either PAI-1 (r=0.63; p=0.003), Factors II/VII/X levels (r=0.80; p<0.0001) or Factor V levels (r=0.65; p=0.003). Thus, this injury induced femoral artery thrombosis model in mice establishes experimentally a correlation between obesity and prothrombotic tendency.