The Association of Obesity, Airway Hyperresponsiveness and Atopy in Chronic Cough Patients: Results of a Two-Center Study.

Park, So Yong; Park, Jong Won; Oh, Yeon Mok; Rhee, Yang Keun; Lee, Young Mok; Park, Yong Bum; Lim, Seong Yong

doi:2011.71.1.24

Tuberc Respir Dis > Volume 71(1); 2011 > Article

Original Article

Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases 2011;71(1):24-29.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4046/trd.2011.71.1.24 Published online July 1, 2011.

The Association of Obesity, Airway Hyperresponsiveness and Atopy in Chronic Cough Patients: Results of a Two-Center Study.

So Yong Park, Jong Won Park, Yeon Mok Oh, Yang Keun Rhee, Young Mok Lee, Yong Bum Park, Seong Yong Lim

¹Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Hallym University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. bfspark@medimail.co.kr
²Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
³Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Chonbuk National University Medical School, Jeonju, Korea.
⁴Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Soonchunhyang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
⁵Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Kangbuk Samsung Hospital, Sungkyunkwan University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. mdlimsy@skku.edu

Abstract

BACKGROUND
The rising prevalence of asthma worldwide may be associated with the rising prevalence of obesity in developed nations. Although several studies have suggested a relationship between asthma and obesity, controversy still remains. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between obesity and asthmatic factors such as atopy, eosinophilia, serum total Ig E and bronchial hyperresponsiveness in chronic cough patients. METHODS: This study was a retrospective, observational study in two centers done between January 2007 and June 2008. The subjects included individuals who had a chronic cough. We examined body mass index (BMI) to measure obesity and pulmonary function. We did a metacholine provocation test for airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR), a skin prick test for atopy, and tests for blood eosinophils and serum IgE. RESULTS: A total of 1022 subjects were included. Airway hyperresponsiveness was not related with obesity (p=0.06), and atopy incidence was significant higher in non obese patients (p=0.00). There was no significant difference in serum IgE and blood eosinophil counts between obese and non obese patients. Forced expiratory volue in one second (FEV1)/forced vital capacity (FVC) was significantly reduced in obese patients (p=0.03), but FEV1 and FVC were no significant difference between obese and non obese patients. CONCLUSION: There is no relationship between obesity and bronchial hyperresponsiveness. The nonobese group appears to have more atopy. The relationship between obesity and bronchial hyperresponsiveness and atopy need further investigation.

Key Words: Obesity, Bronchial Hyperresponsiveness, Dermatitis, Atopic