Distribution of body mass index among subjects with COPD in the Middle East and North Africa region: data from the BREATHE study

Abstract

BackgroundData describing the potential relationship between chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and body mass index (BMI) are limited within the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.ObjectiveTo evaluate the distribution of BMI among subjects with COPD in the general population of the MENA region.MethodsThis study was a subanalysis of the BREATHE study, a cross-sectional survey of COPD conducted in the general population of ten countries in the MENA region and Pakistan. The study population consisted of subjects screened for COPD who documented their weight and height. A COPD questionnaire was administered to subjects who screened positively for COPD in order to collect data on patient characteristics, symptom severity, management and burden of disease, comorbidities, and health care resource utilization and data allowing calculation of the BMI. The COPD Assessment Test (CAT) was administered to those screened positively for COPD to collect data on the impact of respiratory symptoms.ResultsNine hundred and ninety-six subjects with COPD, who completed the detailed COPD questionnaire and documented their weight and height, were included in this analysis. The mean BMI was 27.7±5.7 kg/m2. The proportion of COPD patients with a BMI ≥25 kg/m2 is significantly higher than the proportion with a BMI <25 kg/m2 (64.6% [n=643] vs 35.4% [n=353], respectively; P<0.0001). There were no significant differences between the distribution of BMI, ages, sex, COPD symptoms, exacerbations, CAT scores, COPD-associated health care resource consumption, and GOLD severity groups. However, the occurrence of comorbidities such as diabetes and cardiovascular diseases seemed to be significantly associated with obese or morbidly obese status (P=0.02).ConclusionIn the MENA region, the majority of COPD subjects were overweight or obese, and comorbidities such as diabetes or cardiovascular diseases are likely to be associated with COPD when BMI is in the obese or morbidly obese ranges.

Overweight in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease needs more attention: a cross-sectional study in general practice

“…This study examined the association of weight and health outcomes, specifically among patients with mild to moderate COPD. The findings on comorbid disorders complement to results of previous observational studies that were conducted in the general COPD population, regarding diabetes, 2 – 4 , 6 – 9 hypertension, 2 , 6 – 9 osteoarthritis, 9 and osteoporosis. 9 Regarding cardiovascular diseases, we found positive associations for obesity and heart failure, but not for coronary heart disease and stroke.…”

“…Previous studies that investigated the implications of overweight and obesity on health outcomes were conducted only in the overall COPD population, including patients with severe COPD. 3 , 4 , 8 – 10 However, in patients with COPD, excess weight is mainly present among those with milder stages of COPD. 15 These patients are generally treated in primary healthcare, and it therefore seems relevant to study the association of weight and health outcomes specifically in patients with mild to moderate COPD.…”

Comparison of World Health Organization and Asia-Pacific body mass index classifications in COPD patients

“…The proportions of obese patients were 29.6% according to the studies on the distribution of BMI among patients with COPD in both Spain 44 as well as the Middle East and North Africa. 45 The study by Rodríguez et al showed that the proportion of the obese was 43% among the selected patients with COPD. 46 In addition, when evaluating the clinical parameters associated with BMI, such as health-related quality of life, dyspnea score, and respiratory functions, Asia-Pacific classifications can be more appropriate than WHO classifications in Asian patients with COPD.…”

Relación entre el índice de masa corporal y la frecuencia de exacerbaciones en pacientes con enfermedad pulmonar obstructiva crónica en Santa Marta, Colombia

“…Sin embargo, esta observación es contraria a lo reportado por Lambert, et al, quienes mostraron que en [130] conjunto los pacientes con mayor IMC (obesos) presentaron con mayor frecuencia clase GOLD D que los pacientes con peso normal o sobrepeso (15) . Por otro lado, McCormack, et al, observaron en una muestra de 84 pacientes que el IMC (peso normal y obesidad) no se asoció a la categoría GOLD (17) ; esta independencia la replicaron también Koniski, et al, con una muestra de 996 pacientes, donde encontraron que el IMC no se relacionó significativamente con la clase GOLD (18) .…”

“…Los estudios precedentes mostraron una asociación consistente entre la obesidad y las gradaciones I a IV de GOLD (valor aislado del VEF1) con las comparaciones con estadística paramétrica (9)(10)(11)(12)(13)(14) . Sin embargo, los hallazgos de la asociación son divergentes o difíciles de interpretar en aquellos análisis realizados con una aproximación no paramétrica (15)(16)(17)(18) .…”