Author(s): Saleh Jafarpisheh, Maryam Nasri, Hosein Ahrar
The present study aimed to prove that the angle and distance between the
superior mesenteric artery (SMA) and the aorta are significantly correlated
with the body mass index (BMI) in order to establish a strong etiological
role of the BMI in the development of SMA syndrome. SMA syndrome is
characterized by the compression of the third segment of the duodenum by
the mesentery at the SMA level, resulting in duodenal compression, oc
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casionally accompanied by gastric compression. The syndrome is closely
associated with the depletion of the fat pad between the vessels, which re
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duces the angle and distance between the vessels. This prospective study in
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cluded 300 patients [163 males and 137 females; mean age, 51 (range, 40–
70) years] who underwent multislice detector computed tomography (CT)
scan in Alzahra Hospital in 2017 for various complaints other than SMA
syndrome. CT scans were performed by the standard protocol including a
plain phase scan, followed by arterial and venous phase scans, to measure
the SMA–aorta angle. The patients were categories as per their BMI into
four categories defined by WHO. The mean values for the distance and an
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gle were calculated, with P values of 5% (95% confidence intervals) indicat
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ing significant difference. Pearson coefficients between the parameters and
BMI were also determined, and the t-test was performed for comparisons. A
strong positive correlation was observed between BMI and the SMA–aorta
angle, indicating that the angle increases with increasing BMI, which reduc
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es the risk of developing SMA syndrome