Spirometric values in elderly asthmatic patients are not influenced by obesity

Abstract

SummaryBackground Studies have suggested that asthma in obese individuals differs from the classic asthma phenotype, presenting as a disease that is more difficult to control. Objective The objective of the present study was to determine whether obesity, age or a combination of the two are associated with worse spirometry parameters in patients with asthma. Methods This was an observational cross-sectional study involving patients over 18 years of age who had been diagnosed with asthma (allergic or nonallergic). We evaluated the results of their spirometric tests. The patients were classified in accordance with two criteria: body mass index (BMI) and age. Based on their BMIs, the patients were divided into three groups: normal weight, overweight and obese. Patients were also separated into two categories by age: 18-59 years of age; and 60 years of age. Results We evaluated 451 patients with asthma and their spirometry tests. In the present study, the pulmonary function parameters were negatively correlated with BMI and age (P < 0.05). We found that there was a statistically significant correlation between spirometric values and BMI among patients 18-59 years of age (P < 0.001), however, among patients over 60, we did not observe this negative association. Conclusions and Clinical RelevanceThe spirometric values decreased significantly in proportion to the increase of BMI and age in patients with asthma, especially among young adults. There was no negative correlation between BMI and FEV 1 in the group 60 years of age, suggesting that perhaps the time of disease is a major factor in the loss of lung function than weight gain in the elderly.

Differences between asthma in young and elderly: Results from the COREA study

“…Moreover, the spirometric values decreased significantly in proportion to the increase of BMI in asthmatics but there was no negative correlation between BMI and FEV 1 in the asthmatics over 60 years of age. [21]. Taken together, although BMI is an important variable characterizing EA and NEA (as their values of factor loadings were significant; 0.417 for EA and 0.480 for NEA), the way of its contribution to EA may differ for NEA.…”

Developments in the field of allergy in 2012 through the eyes of Clinical & Experimental Allergy

“…Asthma associated with obesity has been an important topic of research, as it seems to be a distinct entity causing an increased risk of severe asthma . The question that whether this is a cause or an effect was discussed in an editorial accompanying these papers .…”

The Editor takes a closer look at some of this month's articles

“…2‐4), address various aspects of the link between obesity and asthma. The association between obesity and asthma is well established, but whether this is due to obesity causing symptoms through deconditioning and dysfunctional breathing or is due to a more direct and causal effect is not clear . The extent to which weight loss helps disease control is also not clear.…”