Association between Physical Activity and Comorbidities in Spanish People with Asthma-COPD Overlap

Abstract

Asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are important conditions which often coexist. Higher rates of comorbidities among people with asthma-COPD overlap (ACO) may complicate clinical management. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of 30 different comorbidities and to analyze associations between these comorbidities and physical activity (PA) in Spanish people with ACO. Cross-sectional data from the Spanish National Health Survey 2017 were analyzed. A total of 198 Spanish people with ACO aged 15–69 years (60.6% women) were included in this study. PA was measured with the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) short form. Diagnosis of chronic conditions were self-reported. Associations between PA and comorbidities were analyzed using multivariable logistic regression models. The most prevalent comorbidities were chronic allergy (58.1%), chronic lumbar pain (42.4%), chronic cervical pain (38.4%), hypertension (33.3%) and arthrosis (31.8%). A PA level lower than 600 MET·min/week was significantly associated with urinary incontinence (OR = 3.499, 95% CI = 1.369–8.944) and osteoporosis (OR = 3.056, 95% CI = 1.094–8.538) in the final adjusted model. Therefore, the potential influence of PA on reducing the risk of these conditions among people with ACO should be considered, not only because of the health benefits, but also because PA can contribute to a more sustainable world.

Association between Physical Activity and 32 Chronic Conditions among Spanish Adults

“…The selection of covariates was based on past literature [ 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 ]. Sociodemographic variables included gender, age, education level, and living as a couple.…”

“…The cutoffs used to establish the physical activity levels in this association were based on the recommendations and physical activity guidelines of the WHO [ 4 , 5 , 6 ]: <600 MET-min/week and <1200 MET-min/week. Regression models were adjusted for several important covariates according to previous literature, including sociodemographic characteristics (gender, age, education level, and the fact of living as a couple) and other health parameters (BMI, smoking, and alcohol consumption) [ 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 ]. In the analyses, the variables were treated as categorical variables, except the variables age and BMI, which were treated as continuous variables.…”