Association of wider neck circumference and asthma in obese children

Association between neck circumference and pulmonary function in Korean adults

Neck circumference (NC) is associated with various diseases. However, its association with pulmonary diseases remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the association between NC and pulmonary function in Korean adults. Data from the 2019 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were used, including forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) and forced vital capacity (FVC). A total of 3818 adults aged 40 to 79 years were included in the analysis. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to examine factors associated with low pulmonary function (<80% of the predicted value) and calculate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for decreased lung function per 1-cm increase in NC. A negative correlation was observed between the NC and pulmonary function in both sexes. In multivariate logistic regression analyses, in contrast to men, women exhibited a notable relationship between increased NC and impaired pulmonary function, with a more pronounced effect observed in FVC (OR, 1.14; 95% CI, 1.05-1.24). Central obesity may play a role in pulmonary function decline. Understanding this relationship can inform preventive strategies and interventions to improve the respiratory health of individuals with central obesity.

Association of serum periostin levels with clinical features in children with asthma

BACKGROUND

The aim of this study was to investigate the association of serum periostin levels with clinical features in children with asthma.

METHODS

Children with physician-diagnosed asthma who attended regularly to an outpatient pediatric allergy and asthma center were enrolled in the study along with control subjects. Asthma severity and control status of the patients were evaluated according to the recent GINA guidelines.

RESULTS

A total of 158 children (125 with asthma and 33 age- and sex-matched control subjects) with a median age of 10.2 years (range 5.9-17.0) were enrolled. Asthma severity was mild in 41 (32.8%), moderate in 63 (50.4%), and severe in 21 (16.8%) children. Children with asthma had significantly higher periostin levels than controls (53.1 ± 13.1 vs 43.0 ± 11.2 ng/mL, P < .001). The mean serum periostin levels in children with severe asthma (63.8 ± 10.8) were significantly higher than in children with moderate asthma (53.3 ± 12.7) and mild asthma (47.4 ± 11.1) (P < .001). Results of multivariable logistic regression analysis demonstrated an association between serum periostin levels and asthma severity in children (OR, 1.10; 95% CI, 1.04-1.15, P < .001). When analyzed for the best cut-off value with the highest combined sensitivity and specificity, a cut-off value of 52 ng/mL for serum periostin level was obtained with sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPV of 100%, 50%, 29%, and 100%, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Although serum periostin levels are higher in children with asthma, its diagnostic role in identifying children with severe asthma is limited.

Overweight Proxies Are Associated with Atopic Asthma: A Matched Case-Control Study

BACKGROUND

Many studies have documented a link between overweight and asthma in children with contradictory results regarding the best way to measure overweight. Moreover, often, the dynamic development of atopy, overweight, and asthma is controlled for age dependency insufficiently.

OBJECTIVE

This study assesses and compares the associations of overweight measured as waist circumference, waist to height ratio (WHtR), neck circumference, and body mass index with the occurrence of asthma - best possibly controlling for age-dependencies of these parameters.

METHODS

From a sample of 2,511 children aged 6-17 years, we matched 157 children with asthma with 2 controls (n = 471) according to age and atopy status and performed conditional logistic regression analyses. We further investigated the role of known influencing factors of asthma occurrence.

RESULTS

In children with atopy, all overweight proxies were consistently positively associated with asthma. Statistical significance was reached for WHtR-SD score (OR 1.26, 95% CI 1.03-1.54, p = 0.025) and persisted when further covariates, such as birth weight or social status, were added to the model. Groups of atopic versus nonatopic participants do not differ in levels of interleukin-6 or high-sensitivity C-reactive protein.

CONCLUSION

In our cohort, overweight seems to carry a risk for asthma only if accompanied with atopy. We call for more strict age matching in pediatric cohort studies and longitudinal studies for a better understanding for causal links of overweight, atopy, and asthma.

Correlations of severity of asthma in children with body mass index, adiponectin and leptin

Background

This study aims to investigate the correlations of asthma in children with body mass index (BMI), adiponectin, and leptin.

Methods

A total of 122 children with asthma in our hospital from January 2017 to February 2018 were randomly selected and divided into control group (normal) and observation group (BMI > 28 kg/m²) according to BMI. BMI, adiponectin, and leptin levels between the two groups were measured and compared, and correlations of disease grade with BMI, adiponectin, or leptin were analyzed. Moreover, risk factors for asthma in children were also identified.

Results

Body mass index, leptin level, forced vital capacity (FVC), FVC%, and forced expiratory volume in 1s (FEV1)/FVC in observation group were significantly higher than those in control group (P < 0.05), while the adiponectin level, forced expiratory capacity in 1s (FEC1), and FEV1% in observation group were significantly lower than those in control group (P < 0.05). The amount of severe patients in observation group was much larger than that in control group. The severity of disease was positively correlated with BMI and leptin and negatively correlated with adiponectin. BMI, adiponectin, and leptin were identified as risk factors for asthma in children.

Conclusion

Adiponectin, leptin, and BMI are involved in the pathogenesis of asthma in children, suggesting they might be therapeutic targets for clinical treatment.

Association of neck circumference and pulmonary function in children

BACKGROUND

Childhood obesity leads to many complications including impaired respiratory function. There are various anthropometric parameters related to obesity.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the correlation between anthropometric indices and pulmonary function test results in children without asthma.

METHODS

Children without any respiratory disorders were enrolled in this study. Anthropometric measurements, such as height, weight, neck circumference (NC), and waist circumference, were obtained from the enrollees and body mass index was calculated. Afterward, pulmonary function tests were performed using spirometry.

RESULTS

A total of 178 children (106 boys, 59.5%) with a mean age of 9.7 years were included the study. NC was above the 90th percentile in 65 children. Importantly, pulmonary parameters, such as forced expiratory volume during the first second (FEV₁) and the ratio of FEV₁ to forced vital capacity (FVC), were lower in subjects with a large NC. Similarly, waist circumference was above the 90th percentile in 67 children, and FEV₁/FVC was significantly lower in children with a large waist circumference. Moreover, there was a statistically significant negative correlation among FEV₁, FEV₁/FVC, and body mass index SD score. Also, multivariable linear regression analysis showed that an NC above the 90th percentile was associated with lower FEV₁ and FEV₁/FVC values.

CONCLUSION

We identified NC as a novel anthropometric index that is strongly correlated with respiratory functions in children. Therefore, close monitoring of respiratory symptoms, particularly in children with obesity and a large NC, could help with early and prompt determination of respiratory complications of obesity.