No Associations Between Serum Lipid Levels or HOMA-IR and Asthma in Children and Adolescents: A NHANES Analysis

Abstract

Objective:Studies have reported inconsistent results on the associations between lipids and insulin resistance (IR) and asthma. The purpose of this study was to examine the associations between abnormal serum lipid levels and homeostatic model assessment-IR (HOMA-IR) and the presence of current asthma in children and adolescents.Methods:The United States National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey database from 1999 to 2012 was randomly searched for children (aged 3-11 years) and adolescents (aged 12-19 years) with and without asthma and with complete demographic and clinical data of interest. Logistic regression analyses were performed to examine associations between abnormal serum lipids, glucose and HOMA-IR and the current presence of asthma.Results:The data of 11,662 children (3 to 11 years of age) and 12,179 adolescents (12 to 19 years of age) were included in the analysis. The study group included 3,703 participants with asthma and 20,138 participants without asthma. The prevalence of self-reported current asthma was higher among participants aged between 3-11 years (52.9%) than among those aged between 12-19 years (50.7%). Multivariate analyses, after adjusting for sex, race, income-to-poverty ratio, low birth weight, prenatal maternal smoking, tobacco exposure, C-reactive protein level and body mass index Z-score, revealed no associations between elevated fasting plasma glucose, reduced high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, elevated low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, total cholesterol, triglycerides and HOMA-IR and the presence of current asthma in children or adolescents.Conclusion:In this cross-sectional study, no association was found between abnormal serum lipids or HOMA-IR and the presence of current asthma in children or adolescents.

Nutrition, Obesity and Asthma Inception in Children. The Role of Lung Function

“…In the study, some 3703 asthmatics and 20,138 nonasthmatics were identified in the United States National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey database between 1999 and 2012. That study found no relationship between HOMA > 3 and asthma diagnosis [71], although it did not analyse the synergic action of obesity + insulin resistance that Forno et al had found [69]. Nevertheless, all those studies are crosssectional, so it is not possible to establish a causal relationship between obesity, insulin resistance and asthma.…”

TG/HDL-C Ratio Independent of Obesity Associates With Airflow Obstruction in Asthmatic Children 

“…[3,4] The prospective cohort study in children born to mothers with a doctor's diagnosis of asthma has demonstrated the increased airway obstruction in children with high LDL-C. Children with high HDL-C had better lung function and less bronchial responsiveness [3]. While a recent epidemiologic study in China found no associations between serum lipid levels and pediatric asthma [4]. Non-HDL-C and the TG/HDL-C ratio are practical addition lipid measures in evaluating dyslipidemia in children [5].…”

Dyslipidemia Associates with Respiratory Resistance Assessed by Forced Oscillation Technique in Asthmatic Children

“…The prospective cohort study in children born to mothers with a doctor's diagnosis of asthma has demonstrated the increased airway obstruction in children with high LDL-C. Children with high HDL-C had better lung function and less bronchial responsiveness [2]. While a recent epidemiologic study in China found no associations between serum lipid levels and pediatric asthma [3]. Non-HDL-C and the TG/HDL-C ratio are practical addition lipid measures in evaluating dyslipidemia in children [4].…”

“…There is recently con icting evidence on the association between dyslipidemia and asthma [2,3]. The prospective cohort study in children born to mothers with a doctor's diagnosis of asthma has demonstrated the increased airway obstruction in children with high LDL-C. Children with high HDL-C had better lung function and less bronchial responsiveness [2].…”