Weight loss reduces dyspnea on exertion in obese women

During submaximal exercise, some otherwise healthy obese women experience breathlessness, or dyspnea on exertion (+DOE), while others have mild or no DOE (-DOE). We investigated whether weight loss could reduce DOE. Twenty nine obese women were grouped based on their Ratings of Perceived Breathlessness (RPB) during constant load 60W cycling: +DOE (n = 14, RPB >= 4, 34 +/- 8 years, and 36 +/- 3 kg/m(2)) and -DOE (n = 15, RPB <= 2, 32 +/- 8 years, and 36 +/- 4 kg/m(2)) and then completed a 12-week weight loss program. Both groups lost a moderate amount of weight (+DOE: 6.6 +/- 2.4 kg, -DOE: 8.4 +/- 3.5 kg, and p < 0.001). RPB decreased significantly in the +DOE group (from 4.7 +/- 1.1 to 3.1 +/- 1.6) and remained low in the -DOE (from 1.5 +/- 0.7 to 1.6 +/- 1.1) (interaction p < 0.002). Most physiological variables measured (i.e. body composition, fat distribution, pulmonary function, oxygen cost of breathing, and cardiorespiratory measures) improved with weight loss; however, the decrease in RPB was not correlated with any of these variables (p > 0.05). In conclusion, moderate weight loss was effective in reducing breathlessness on exertion in obese women who experienced DOE at baseline. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.