Evidence map›Paper›PMID 32124408›Full record

ReviewEating and weight disorders : EWD2021

Obesity paradox and stroke: a narrative review.

Stefano Forlivesi, Manuel Cappellari, Bruno Bonetti

Abstract readReview
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Review in Eating and weight disorders : EWD, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 53 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
53citing papers in PubMed, 2 pooled it
7.6field-weighted citation impact, top 2% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

53 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 92 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
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  6. Effects of Undernutrition and Obesity on Functional and Nutritional Outcomes After Ischaemic Stroke: A Hospital-Based Study.Journal of human nutrition and dietetics : the official journal of the British Dietetic Association · 2026
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  8. Observational
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  11. Evaluating the obesity paradox in patients with sepsis and cancer.International journal of obesity (2005) · 2025
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  20. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Stefano ForlivesiNeurology Unit, IRCCS "Sacro Cuore-Don Calabria" Hospital, Via don A. Sempreboni, 5, 37024, Negrar, Verona, Italy. forlivesi.sf@gmail.com.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0609-3044
Manuel CappellariStroke Unit, Department of Neuroscience, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Integrata, Verona, Italy.
Bruno BonettiStroke Unit, Department of Neuroscience, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Integrata, Verona, Italy.
Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Integrata Verona · ITOspedale Sacro Cuore Don Calabria · IT

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundDespite obesity is an established risk factor for stroke, several studies reported a better outcome after stroke in obese and overweight patients. This counterintuitive finding, which was described in the whole spectrum of cardiovascular diseases, is known as obesity paradox.

objectiveThis is a narrative overview on the obesity paradox and stroke.

methodsWe used as sources MEDLINE/PubMed, CINAHL, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library from inception to 2019, and selected papers that discussed the association of obesity with outcome and mortality after stroke.

resultsThe majority of studies reported lower mortality rates and better functional outcome after stroke in obese and overweight patients compared with normal weight and underweight patients, suggesting the existence of an obesity paradox in stroke. However, available studies are limited by several major methodological concerns including absence of randomized trials, retrospective nature of most studies, assessment of obesity with body mass index (BMI), non-linear relationship between BMI and outcome, short follow-up period, and differences in co-morbid conditions and stroke characteristics.

conclusionsThe existence of an obesity paradox in stroke is still controversial and further higher quality evidence is needed to clarify the relationship between obesity and stroke outcome. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level V, narrative review.

Indexed as

StrokeBody Mass IndexHumansObesityRetrospective StudiesRisk FactorsBody mass index (BMI)ObesityObesity paradoxStroke

Identifiers

PMID32124408
OpenAlexW3009532523

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.