Associação da obesidade com níveis de atividade física e capacidade funcional em pacientes com insuficiência venosa crônica

Abstract

Obesity is one of the factors associated with the development of chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) and may contribute to reduced physical activity levels and functional capacity. Nevertheless, evidence regarding the impact of obesity on these variables in individuals with CVI remains scarce. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of obesity on physical activity levels, at different intensities, and on the functional capacity of patients with CVI. This was a cross-sectional study including 112 patients with chronic venous insufficiency, divided into two groups: non-obese (n = 44) and obese (n = 66), based on body mass index (BMI). The variables of interest included demographic and clinical characteristics, sociodemographic factors, and lifestyle habits. The primary outcomes were physical activity levels (sedentary time, light-intensity physical activity, and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, expressed in minutes/week), measured by accelerometry, and functional capacity measures, including the 6-minute walk test (6MWT), handgrip strength, and total score on the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB). Student’s t-test or the Mann–Whitney U test was used for between-group comparisons, and multiple linear regression models were adjusted for age, sex, and BMI. Obesity was significantly and negatively associated with light-intensity physical activity in the crude model (B = −0.435; p = 0.040), with the association losing statistical significance in the adjusted model (p = 0.052). No significant associations were observed between obesity and sedentary time or moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, nor for any of the physical function variables (6MWT, handgrip strength, and total SPPB score), in either the crude or adjusted models (p > 0.05). Among patients with chronic venous insufficiency, obesity did not demonstrate an additional impact on physical activity levels (light, moderate-to-vigorous, or sedentary time) or functional capacity after adjustment for important covariates, such as age, sex, and Clinical, Etiological, Anatomical, and Pathophysiological (CEAP) classification. These findings suggest that chronic venous insufficiency itself, with its inherent limitations, may be a primary determinant of physical inactivity and functional impairment in this population, regardless of BMI classification.