Effect of obesity on respiratory functions

ABSTRACT

The present study included thirty obese subjects and ten controls. The obese subjects were classified into three groups of mild, moderate and severe obesity. The purpose of the present work was to evaluate the abnormalities in respiratory functions, flow rates and arterial blood gases as a consequence of obesity. All patients of the three obese groups exhibited marked reduction in ERV, VC, MVV, FEV, PEF, MEFR and MMFR. This denotes that there is no correlation between the degree of obesity and pulmonary complications. PaO2 and PaCO2 were within normal in all three obese groups denoting increased efficiency of inspiratory muscles to keep minute ventilation within normal