Asthma control and obesity: a solid link

Background and objective: An epidemiological association between obesity and asthma has been confirmed, but its possible link to disease control is controversial. The aim of this study was to investigate if asthma control was related with obesity. Patients and methods: Asthmatics adult outpatients with good compliance on therapy and correct inhalation technique were included. An Asthma Control Test validated for Spanish population was used to measure asthma control and it was related with: age, sex, forced expiratory volume in one second, smoking, atopy, body mass index (BMI), rhinitis, anxiety and/or depression, bronchiectasis and gastroesophageal reflux. For statistical analysis chi square distribution, Student test and a logistic regression analysis were used. Results: One hundred and ten patients were included, of whom 41 (37.3%) had BMI >= 30 kg/m(2). Poor asthma control was associated, in the bivariate analysis, with: BMI, rhinitis, anxiety-depressive disorders and female sex. In the multivariate analysis, it remained independently associated with: BMI (odds ratio [OR] 3.66, 95% confidence interval [95% CI] 1.49-8.92), rhinitis (OR 2.87, 95% CI 1.18-6.99 and anxiety-depressive disorder (OR 6.45, 95% CI 2.10-20). Conclusions: We conclude that there is a link between obesity and poorly controlled asthma, hence weight loss may have major clinical implications. (c) 2012 Elsevier Espana, S.L. All rights reserved.