Obesity promotes injury induced femoral artery thrombosis in mice

An FeCl3 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.