Chest
Clinical InvestigationsAsthmaEffects of Weight Loss on Peak Flow Variability, Airways Obstruction, and Lung Volumes in Obese Patients With Asthma
Section snippets
Materials and Methods
Fourteen patients (11 women and 3 men; aged 25 to 62 years) witha clinical diagnosis of asthma and moderate to morbid obesity BMI(range, 32.5 to 42.5 kg/m2) were recruited forthe study. Characteristics of the patients and antiasthmaticmedications are presented in Table 1. Prior to our study, all patients participated as a control group inanother study.10 Their spirometric and serial PEF valueswere carefully followed up every 2 months for 1 year before starting inour study. Because they were
Results
The effects of weight reduction on BMI and symptom scores as wellas use of rescue medication are shown in Table 2. The mean weight loss was 13.7 kg (range, 8 to 18 kg). The mean BMIdecreased by 5.1 kg/m2 (range, 3.0 to 7.4kg/m2). Symptoms were recorded on a VAS scalefrom 0 to 100 mm. A significant reduction in dyspnea was demonstrated;the change in cough score was not statistically significant (NS). Theuse of rescue sympathomimetics was < 1 dose per day at baseline, andit did not change by the
Discussion
The results of our study indicate improved pulmonary functionafter weight reduction in obese patients with asthma, suggesting thatthese patients benefit from even modest weight loss. The increase inFEV1 with no change inFEV1/FVC ratio may rather reflect improvement inlung volumes, a well-known effect of weight loss inobesity,121617 than decrease in airways obstruction.However, increased FEF25–75 even when related tovolume (FEF25–75/FVC) may suggest a relief inperipheral airways obstruction.
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This study was supported by the Finnish Cultural Foundation.