Influence of body mass indexes on response to treatment in acute asthma

Increases in body mass index [BMI] are reported to influence asthma response to treatment. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between BMI and response to treatment in a group of patients that were referred for asthma control. Effectiveness measurements in this analysis included percentage of changes in forced volume in 1 second [FEV1], forced volume capacity [FVC], FEV1/FVC, and forced expiratory flow between 25% and 75% of FVC [FEF25-75%]. A total of 293 subjects with asthma of both genders and above 18 years of age were divided into the following BMI categories: 107 [36.5%] non-obese [BMI <25], 186 [63.5%] overweight and obese [BMI >/= 25]. Percentage of change was defined as change in variable between baseline and end-of-treatment. Analyses of non-obese vs. overweight/obese asthmatics demonstrated non-significant differences in baseline FEV1 [1.62 +/- 0.56 Lit vs. 1.63 +/- 0.56 Lit L, P=0.89]; FVC [2.58 +/- 0.73 Lit vs. 2.47 +/- 0.82 Lit, P=0.25]; and FEF25-75% [1.04 +/- 0.55 ml/sec vs. 1.05 +/- 0.50 ml/sec, P=0.47] respectively. Compared with non-obese subjects, in overweight/obese subjects with asthma were less responded to treatment. Percentage changes of FEV1, FVC, FEF25-75%, and FEV1/FVC in non-obese versus obese/overweight patients were: 79.57 +/- 55.14% vs. 62.13 +/- 41.72%, P=0.005; 47.71 +/- 33.76% vs. 39.93 +/- 28.30%, P=0.036; 151.98 +/- 127.82% vs. 123 +/- 91.12%, P=0.041; 20.54 +/- 15.63% vs. 15.63 +/- 11.32%, P=0.005; respectively. Percentage changes of spirometric values to treatment in over weight/obese asthmatic patient were lesser in compared with non-obese subjects