Asthma and obesity are public health problems in worldwide, affecting economy and quality of life. Each Body Mass Index (BMI) unit increases the risk of asthma by 10%. Obesity increases the prevalence and incidence of asthma and reduces its control, and is considered a risk factor for asthma exacerbations. Both pathologies share a chronic systemic inflammatory etiology. The accumulation of abdominal visceral adipose tissue, produces alterations in ventilatory function, and works as an endocrine organ producing adipokines, which enhance the inflammatory state. Measurement of quality of life in asthma is helpful in evaluation of the pathology control and treatment response.
Problem.
Since asthma and obesity are chronic inflammatory processes and share a pathogenic substrate, is then considered a direct relationship between BMI, severity of asthma, quality of life and serum adipokines. We believe that this relationship can be modified by reducing the BMI and thus improve asthma control and quality of life.
Methods:
We analyzed the relationship between BMI, severity of asthma and quality of life in 60 allergic asthmatic patients from our institution through a cross-sectional comparative and analytical. Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire standardized in Spanish for México was used.
Objective.
To establish the relationship between BMI, severity of asthma and quality of life in asthmatic patients.
Results:
The BMI does not seem to affect the severity of asthma. However the Quality of Life was poor in all asthmatic patients. The most important impact was moderately and found in the Affection of the Emotional Function of patients with more severe asthma, influenced mainly by the effect of the Environmental Stimuli.
Conclusions:
The relationship between asthma and BMI still unclear. Environmental Stimuli plays important role in asthma severity affecting Emotional Function. We hypothesize that the serum concentrations of adipokines should be modified by a BMI reduction maneuver and it perhaps improve severity of asthma and the Quality of Life in asthmatic patients.
References:
1. J Allergy Clin Immunol 2009;124:207-212, 2. J Allergy Clin Immunol 2008;121:1087-1093