Asthma and Obesity in Children

Alterations of DNA methylation profile in peripheral blood of children with simple obesity

Purpose

To investigate the association between DNA methylation and childhood simple obesity.

Methods

Genome-wide analysis of DNA methylation was conducted on peripheral blood samples from 41 children with simple obesity and 31 normal controls to identify differentially methylated sites (DMS). Subsequently, gene functional analysis of differentially methylated genes (DMGs) was carried out. After screening the characteristic DMGs based on specific conditions, the methylated levels of these DMS were evaluated and verified by pyrosequencing. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis assessed the predictive efficacy of corresponding DMGs. Finally, Pearson correlation analysis revealed the correlation between specific DMS and clinical data.

Results

The overall DNA methylation level in the obesity group was significantly lower than in normal. A total of 241 DMS were identified. Functional pathway analysis revealed that DMGs were primarily involved in lipid metabolism, carbohydrate metabolism, amino acid metabolism, human diseases, among other pathways. The characteristic DMS within the genes Transcription factor A mitochondrial (TFAM) and Piezo type mechanosensitive ion channel component 1(PIEZO1) were recognized as CpG-cg05831083 and CpG-cg14926485, respectively. Furthermore, the methylation level of CpG-cg05831083 significantly correlated with body mass index (BMI) and vitamin D.

Conclusions

Abnormal DNA methylation is closely related to childhood simple obesity. The altered methylation of CpG-cg05831083 and CpG-cg14926485 could potentially serve as biomarkers for childhood simple obesity.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13755-024-00275-w.

Investigating the relationship between asthma symptoms and severity with television watching, computer use, and internet access among 13-14-year-old children in Yazd, Iran

BACKGROUND

Asthma is a prevalent chronic respiratory disease that affects individuals from childhood to adulthood. This study aimed to investigate the association between symptoms and severity of asthma with television viewing, computer and Internet use in adolescents, considering the lifestyle changes in recent decades.

METHODS

This study was conducted in early 2020 as part of the Global Asthma Network 2020 survey, among 13-14-year-olds in Yazd, Iran. Participants were classified into case and control groups based on the presence and severity of asthma symptoms. The data was collected and analyzed using SPSS-20 software to compare the participants based on their screen time.

RESULTS

The analysis of data collected from a total of 5141 students produced noteworthy results. A significant correlation was identified between the occurrence of wheezing in the past year, the presence of severe asthma, and the amount of time spent watching television, using a computer, or internet. The unadjusted model revealed that screen time of more than three hours, pet ownership, current smoking, and ever smoking were all significant predictors of wheezing and severe asthma. Smoking was the strongest predictor of asthma and its severity. After adjusting for confounding factors, the multiple logistic regression model confirmed that screen time of more than three hours remained a significant predictor of both asthma and its severity.

CONCLUSION

This study finds a significant association between media usage and asthma symptoms and severity. However, this association is influenced by lifestyle factors such as physical activity, obesity, diet, and exposure to indoor allergens. Further research is needed to better understand the complex interplay between media usage and asthma, considering the impact of these factors.

Effect of five different body positions on lung function in stroke patients with tracheotomy

BACKGROUND

In stroke patients with tracheotomy, reduced lung function heightens pulmonary infection risk. Body position can affect lung function; however, its impact in stroke patients with tracheostomy remains unclear.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the influence of five body positions on pulmonary function in stroke patients with tracheotomy.

METHODS

Pulmonary function was assessed in five body positions (supine, supine 30°, supine 60°, sitting, and prone) in 47 stroke patients who underwent tracheotomy. Diaphragmatic excursion during quiet breathing (DEQ), diaphragmatic thickening fraction during quiet breathing (DTFQ), and diaphragmatic excursion during coughing (DEC) were measured using ultrasound. Peak cough flow (PCF) was measured using an electronic peak flow meter.

RESULTS

Different positions had a significant impact on DEQ, DEC, and PCF in stroke patients with tracheotomy, although not on DTFQ. DEQ showed no significant differences between supine 60°, sitting, and prone positions. Both DEC and PCF reached their maximum values in the sitting position. In the sub-group analysis, DEQ in females did not show significant differences across different positions. Both males and females exhibited significantly higher PCF in the sitting compared to supine position. The lung function of obese patients was significantly better in the sitting than in the supine and supine 30° position. Regardless of the patient's level of consciousness and whether the brainstem was injured, lung function in the sitting position was significantly higher than in the supine position.

CONCLUSIONS

Body posture influences lung function in stroke patients with tracheotomy. Patients should adopt a sitting position to enhance pulmonary function.

Exploring the Link between Oxidative Stress, Selenium Levels, and Obesity in Youth

Obesity is a worldwide increasing concern. Although in adults this is easily estimated with the body mass index, in children, who are constantly growing and whose bodies are changing, the reference points to assess weight status are age and gender, and need corroboration with complementary data, making their quantification highly difficult. The present review explores the interaction spectrum of oxidative stress, selenium status, and obesity in children and adolescents. Any factor related to oxidative stress that triggers obesity and, conversely, obesity that induces oxidative stress are part of a vicious circle, a complex chain of mechanisms that derive from each other and reinforce each other with serious health consequences. Selenium and its compounds exhibit key antioxidant activity and also have a significant role in the nutritional evaluation of obese children. The balance of selenium intake, retention, and metabolism emerges as a vital aspect of health, reflecting the complex interactions between diet, oxidative stress, and obesity. Understanding whether selenium status is a contributor to or a consequence of obesity could inform nutritional interventions and public health strategies aimed at preventing and managing obesity from an early age.

Obesity-related asthma: new insights leading to a different approach

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Obesity is a growing global health threat that significantly contributes to the burden of asthma by increasing the risk of developing asthma and exerting a distinct effect on lung function and inflammation. The treatment of obesity-related asthma is hindered by a poor response to standard asthma treatments, leading to worse asthma control. Weight loss strategies have a significant effect on asthma symptoms but are not feasible for a large proportion of patients, underscoring the need for a better understanding of the pathophysiology and the development of additional treatment options.

RECENT FINDINGS

Recent literature focusing on pathophysiology particularly delved into nontype 2 inflammatory mechanisms, associations with the metabolic syndrome and small airway impairment. Additionally, several new treatment options are currently investigated, including biologics, weight reduction interventions, and novel antiobesity drugs.

SUMMARY

Obesity-related asthma is a highly prevalent asthma phenotype for which weight loss strategies currently stand as the most specific treatment. Furthermore, novel pharmacological interventions aiming at metabolic processes are on the way.

Pediatric asthma comorbidities: Global impact and unmet needs

Real-world data on the range and impact of comorbid health conditions that affect pediatric asthma are scant, especially from developing countries. Lack of data hinders effective diagnosis, treatment, and overall management of these complex cases. We, hereby, describe the common pediatric asthma comorbid conditions in terms of evidence for association, potential mechanisms of impact on asthma control, and treatment benefit. Obesity, upper airway allergies, dysfunctional breathing, multiple sensitizations, depressive disorders, food allergy, and gastro-esophageal reflux are common associations with difficult-to-treat asthma. On the other hand, asthma symptoms and/or management may negatively impact the well-being of children through drug adverse effects, worsening of anaphylaxis symptoms, and disturbing mental health. Awareness of these ailments may be crucial for designing the optimum care for each asthmatic child individually and may ultimately improve the quality of life of patients and their families. A multidisciplinary team of physicians is required to identify and manage such comorbidities aiming to mitigate the over-use of asthma pharmacotherapy. Asthma research should target relevant real-world difficulties encountered at clinical practice and focus on interventions that would mitigate the impact of such comorbidities. Finally, policymakers and global healthcare organizations are urged to recognize pediatric asthma control as a healthcare priority and allocate resources for research and clinical interventions. In other words, global asthma control needs support by compassionate scientific partnership.

Urinary neonicotinoid concentrations and obesity: A cross-sectional study among Chinese adolescents

Epidemiological and toxicological studies on neonicotinoids and obesity have been relevant to adults and young children, but data are limited in adolescents. This study aimed to examine the association between urinary neonicotinoid concentrations and obesity measures among Chinese adolescent. A total of 524 urine samples from 300 boys (11.3-16.1 years) and 224 girls (12.1-15.8 years) were collected to detect the concentrations of eleven neonicotinoids. Generalized linear regression, weighted quantile sum regression (WQS) and Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) were used to estimate covariate-adjusted associations between detectable neonicotinoids and ten indicators of obesity. Nitenpyram concentration was associated with increased body mass index z-score (β = 0.170, 95% CI: 0.041, 0.299) and greater odds of being general obesity (OR = 2.46, 95% CI: 1.11, 5.46). N-desmethyl- acetamiprid concentration was associated with an increase in waist-to-height ratio (β = 0.102, 95% CI: 0.029, 0.176) and waist-to-hip ratio (β = 0.083, 95% CI: 0.011, 0.155). The concentrations of clothianidin (OR = 2.06, 95% CI: 1.10, 3.88) and flonicamid (OR = 2.39, 95% CI: 1.07, 5.32) were associated with greater odds of being abdominal obesity. In contrast, the concentrations of imidacloprid (OR = 0.35, 95% CI: 0.14, 0.88) and thiacloprid (OR = 0.28, 95% CI: 0.08, 0.99) were associated with lower odds of being general obesity. The estimates of general obesity and abdominal obesity increased significantly when concentrations of neonicotinoids mixture were at or above the 55th and 65th percentiles, respectively, compared to the 50th percentile concentration. Sex modified the association between nitenpyram and clothianidin and the risk of obesity with a positive association among boys, and a nonsignificant inverse association among girls. The findings suggest that these associations may be mixed and sex-specific.

Beyond the Metabolic Syndrome: Non-Obvious Complications of Obesity in Children

Obesity is currently one of the most significant public health challenges worldwide due to the continuous increase in obesity rates among children, especially younger children. Complications related to obesity, including serious ones, are increasingly being diagnosed in younger children. A search was performed from January 2023 to September 2023 using the PubMed, Cochrane Library, Science Direct, MEDLINE, and EBSCO databases. The focus was on English-language meta-analyses, systematic reviews, randomized clinical trials, and observational studies worldwide. Four main topics were defined as follows: disorders of glucose metabolism; liver disease associated with childhood obesity; the relationship between respiratory disorders and obesity in children; and the effects of obesity on the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis and puberty. Understanding potential complications and their underlying mechanisms can expedite the diagnostic process and enhance the effectiveness of treatment. We aspire that this study will bring insight into the often-overlooked complications associated with obesity.

Breast feeding, obesity, and asthma association: clinical and molecular views

Asthma is a chronic condition that affects children worldwide. Accumulating number of studies reported that the prevalence of pediatric obesity and asthma might be altered through breastfeeding. It has been proposed that Leptin, which exists in human milk, is oppositely associated with weight increase in newborns. It may also influence peripheral immune system by promoting TH1 responses and suppressing TH2 cytokines. Leptin influences body weight and immune responses through complex signaling pathways at molecular level. Although previous studies provide explanations for the protective role of breastfeeding against both obesity and asthma, other factors such as duration of breastfeeding, parental, and prenatal factors may confound this relationship which requires further research.

Mediterranean Diet and Airway Inflammation in School-Aged Children

There seems to exist an intricate relationship between airway inflammation, body mass index (BMI), and diet. The intake of specific foods or food groups has been suggested to suppress the oxidative stress and inflammatory processes that characterize airway inflammation, but little is known about dietary patterns and their complex interplay with BMI and airway inflammation. Therefore, this cross-sectional study aimed to explore the association between adherence to the Mediterranean diet (MD), a characteristic European diet, and levels of airway inflammation in school-aged children, taking into account their BMI. This cross-sectional analysis comprised 660 children: 49.1% females, 7-12 years old. Adherence to the MD was assessed through the alternate Mediterranean score (aMED). Higher scores represent a healthier diet (0-8). Airway inflammation was assessed measuring exhaled fractional nitric oxide (eNO). Two categories of BMI were considered: non-overweight/non-obese (p < 85th) and overweight/obese (p ≥ 85th). The associations between diet and airway inflammation were estimated using logistic regression models. Higher scores of the aMED were associated with decreased odds of having eNO ≥ 35 ppb, but only in non-overweight/non-obese children (OR = 0.77; 95% CI, 0.61-0.97). For overweight/obese children, the previous association was not significant (OR = 1.57, 95% CI, 0.88-2.79). Our findings suggest that adherence to the MD is associated with lower levels of airway inflammation among non-overweight/non-obese children.

Allergic Diseases and Childhood Obesity: A Detrimental Link?

Several epidemiological studies have described childhood obesity as a risk factor for atopic disease, particularly asthma. At the same time, this association seems to be more conflicting for allergic rhinitis, atopic dermatitis, and chronic urticaria. This article aims to deepen the possibility of a relationship between childhood obesity and allergic diseases. As regards asthma, the mechanical and inflammatory effects of obesity can lead to its development. In addition, excess adiposity is associated with increased production of inflammatory cytokines and adipokines, leading to low-grade systemic inflammation and an increased risk of asthma exacerbations. Allergic rhinitis, atopic dermatitis, food allergies, and chronic urticaria also seem to be related to this state of chronic low-grade systemic inflammation typical of obese children. Vitamin D deficiency appears to play a role in allergic rhinitis, while dyslipidemia and skin barrier defects could explain the link between obesity and atopic dermatitis. Starting from this evidence, it becomes of fundamental importance to act on body weight control to achieve general and allergic health, disentangling the detrimental link between obesity allergic diseases and childhood obesity. Further studies on the association between adiposity and atopy are needed, confirming the biologically active role of fat tissue in the development of allergic diseases and exploring the possibility of new therapeutic strategies.

Association of prenatal obesity and cord blood cytokine levels with allergic diseases in children: A 10-year follow-up cohort study

Background and aim

Although studies have associated elevated prenatal obesity with increased risk of various diseases in offspring, little is known regarding the immune system. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between prenatal obesity and levels of cytokines in umbilical cord blood and development of allergic disease during the first 10 years of life in an offspring.

Methods

A cohort of term infants born at the ShaoXing Women and Children Hospitals in China in 2011 was enrolled in this study. Flow cytometry was performed to measure levels of various cord blood cytokines, namely IL1β, IL2, IL10, IL6, IL8, IL17, IL12, TNF-α and IFN-γ. Next, logistic regression was used to explore the association of prenatal BMI with the development of allergic disease. The relationship between levels of each cord blood cytokine with prenatal BMI, and allergic disease development was tested using linear and logistic regression analyses, respectively.

Results

After 10 years of follow-up, higher prenatal BMI was significantly associated with development of allergic disease in children (HR = 2.45, 95% CI:1.08-5.57, P = 0.033). We also adjusted for maternal age, education and infant gender, and found that prenatal BMI was significantly associated with higher levels of IL12 (P = 0.023) and IL1β (P = 0.049) in cord blood. Moreover, we adjusted for maternal age, education, allergic dermatitis, gestation age and infant gender, and found that increase in each unit (1.26 pg/ml) in IL17 was associated with a 55.5% higher risk of allergic disease in 10-year-old children (HR = 1.55, 95%Cl: 0.99-2.45, P = 0.056). Meanwhile, after adjusting for maternal age, education level, gestation age, prenatal BMI, gestational weight gain, infant gender and birthweight, we found that for every unit increase in IL10, IL6 and IL1β, the risk of overweight/obesity in children after 10-year follow-up increased by 18.7% (HR = 1.19, 95%Cl: 1.01-1.40, P = 0.042), 13.9% (HR = 1.14, 95%Cl: 1.02-1.27, P = 0.021) and 41.3% (HR = 1.41, 95%Cl: 1.02-1.95, P = 0.036), respectively.

Conclusions

Prenatal obesity was positively correlated with allergic diseases in offspring. Cord blood cytokine may play mediating roles in the associations of prenatal obesity with offspring allergic diseases.

Whole Blood Expression Levels of Long Noncoding RNAs: HOTAIRM1, GAS5, MZF1-AS1, and OIP5-AS1 as Biomarkers in Adolescents with Obesity-Related Asthma

Asthma is a heterogeneous entity encompassing distinct endotypes and varying phenotypes, characterized by common clinical manifestations, such as shortness of breath, wheezing, and variable airflow obstruction. Two major asthma endotypes based on molecular patterns are described: type 2 endotype (allergic-asthma) and T2 low endotype (obesity-related asthma). Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are transcripts of more than 200 nucleotides in length, currently involved in many diverse biological functions, such as chromatin remodeling, gene transcription, protein transport, and microRNA processing. Despite the efforts to accurately classify and discriminate all the asthma endotypes and phenotypes, if long noncoding RNAs could play a role as biomarkers in allergic asthmatic and adolescent obesity-related asthma, adolescents remain unknown. To compare expression levels of lncRNAs: HOTAIRM1, OIP5-AS1, MZF1-AS1, and GAS5 from whole blood of Healthy Adolescents (HA), Obese adolescents (O), allergic asthmatic adolescents (AA) and Obesity-related asthma adolescents (OA). We measured and compared expression levels from the whole blood of the groups mentioned above through RT-q-PCR. We found differentially expressed levels of these lncRNAs between the groups of interest. In addition, we found a discriminative value of previously mentioned lncRNAs between studied groups. Finally, we generated an interaction network through bioinformatics. Expression levels of OIP5-AS1, MZF1-AS1, HOTAIRM1, and GAS5 in whole blood from the healthy adolescent population, obese adolescents, allergic asthma adolescents, and obesity-related asthma adolescents are differently expressed. Moreover, these lncRNAs could act as molecular biomarkers that help to discriminate between all studied groups, probably through molecular mechanisms with several genes and miRNAs implicated.

Pediatric obesity and severe asthma: Targeting pathways driving inflammation

Asthma affects more than 300 million people of all ages worldwide, including about 10-15% of school-aged children, and its prevalence is increasing. Severe asthma (SA) is a particular and rare phenotype requiring treatment with high-dose inhaled corticosteroids plus a second controller and/or systemic glucocorticoid courses to achieve symptom control or remaining "uncontrolled" despite this therapy. In SA, other diagnoses have been excluded, and potential exacerbating factors have been addressed. Notably, obese asthmatics are at higher risk of developing SA. Obesity is both a major risk factor and a disease modifier of asthma in children and adults: two main "obese asthma" phenotypes have been described in childhood with high or low levels of Type 2 inflammation biomarkers, respectively, the former characterized by early onset and eosinophilic inflammation and the latter by neutrophilic inflammation and late-onset. Nevertheless, the interplay between obesity and asthma is far more complex and includes obese tissue-driven inflammatory pathways, mechanical factors, comorbidities, and poor response to corticosteroids. This review outlines the most recent findings on SA in obese children, particularly focusing on inflammatory pathways, which are becoming of pivotal importance in order to identify selective targets for specific treatments, such as biological agents.

Airway immune response in the mouse models of obesity-related asthma

The prevalence rates of obesity and its complications have increased dramatically worldwide. Obesity can lead to low-grade chronic systemic inflammation, which predisposes individuals to an increased risk of morbidity and mortality. Although obesity has received considerable interest in recent years, the essential role of obesity in asthma development has not been explored. Asthma is a common chronic inflammatory airway disease caused by various environmental allergens. Obesity is a critical risk factor for asthma exacerbation due to systemic inflammation, and obesity-related asthma is listed as an asthma phenotype. A suitable model can contribute to the understanding of the in-depth mechanisms of obese asthma. However, stable models for simulating clinical phenotypes and the impact of modeling on immune response vary across studies. Given that inflammation is one of the central mechanisms in asthma pathogenesis, this review will discuss immune responses in the airways of obese asthmatic mice on the basis of diverse modeling protocols.

Early-life weight gain is associated with non-atopic asthma in childhood

Background

Previous studies suggest the association between early-life weight gain and asthma. It remains unclear whether early-life weight gain is associated with atopic or non-atopic asthma. This study aimed to investigate whether early-life weight gain is associated with atopic or non-atopic asthma.

Methods

Included in this study were 1343 singleton-birth children (761 boys, 57%) born between January 2010 and December 2011 participating in the Longitudinal Investigation of Global Health in Taiwanese Schoolchildren (LIGHTS) cohort were evaluated by a modified International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) questionnaire and interviewed by pediatricians between July 1, 2016 and May 31, 2018 at the mean age of 6.4 years. Weight gain z-scores during the first 6, 12, and 18 months of life were classified into 4 groups: slow (below −0.67), on track (−0.67 to 0.67), rapid (0.67 to 1.28), and extremely rapid (above 1.28). The main outcomes were atopic and non-atopic asthma. Asthma was defined as having physician-diagnosed asthma and the presence of wheeze or asthma exacerbations in the last 12 months. Atopy was determined by Phadiatop Infant.

Results

The extremely rapid weight gain group of children during the first 6, 12, and 18 months of life was significantly associated with an increased risk of non-atopic asthma (adjusted odd ratio [AOR], 2.14, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.01–4.53 for the first 6 months; AOR, 2.86, 95% CI, 1.34–6.14 for the first 12 months; AOR, 3.26, 95% CI 1.49–7.15 for the first 18 months) compared with the on track group. No significant association was found in atopic asthma. A sex-stratified analysis revealed the association of early-life weight gain with non-atopic asthma was statistically significant only in boys (AOR, 4.24, 95% CI, 1.44–12.50).

Conclusion

Extremely rapid weight gain during the first 6–18 months of life was significantly associated with 2.1- to 3.3-fold increased risk of non-atopic asthma, with a more pronounced risk found in boys.

Impact of Obesity on Lung Function in Cats with Bronchoconstriction

Obesity is a nutritional disorder commonly diagnosed in adult cats that has been associated with an increased risk of different chronic diseases including respiratory diseases. The main objective of this study is to define if there is a relation between lung function measured by barometric whole-body plethysmography and obesity in cats with bronchoconstriction. Fifty-three cats were included in the study. All animals presented a bronchoconstriction status diagnosed with an Enhanced Pause (Penh) value higher than the reference range. Based on a standardized 9-point body condition scale, 36 cats were normal-weight cats (with BCS < 6), and 17 cats were considered overweight or obese cats (with BCS ≥ 6). Overweight cats were mainly male cats and older, and presented lower tidal volume values, lower minute volume values, and lower peak inspiratory and expiratory flows than normal-weight cats. According to the results of the present study, overweight cats showed a more compromised lung function parameters related to restrictive pattern compared with normal-weight cats. However, overweight cats did not show a higher bronchoconstriction level compared with normal-weight cats.

Insulin-resistance in paediatric age: Its magnitude and implications

Insulin resistance (IR) is insulin failure in normal plasma levels to adequately stimulate glucose uptake by the peripheral tissues. IR is becoming more common in children and adolescents than before. There is a strong association between obesity in children and adolescents, IR, and the metabolic syndrome components. IR shows marked variation among different races, crucial to understanding the possible cardiovascular risk, specifically in high-risk races or ethnic groups. Genetic causes of IR include insulin receptor mutations, mutations that stimulate autoantibody production against insulin receptors, or mutations that induce the formation of abnormal glucose transporter 4 molecules or plasma cell membrane glycoprotein-1 molecules; all induce abnormal energy pathways and end with the development of IR. The parallel increase of IR syndrome with the dramatic increase in the rate of obesity among children in the last few decades indicates the importance of environmental factors in increasing the rate of IR. Most patients with IR do not develop diabetes mellitus (DM) type-II. However, IR is a crucial risk factor to develop DM type-II in children. Diagnostic standards for IR in children are not yet established due to various causes. Direct measures of insulin sensitivity include the hyperinsulinemia euglycemic glucose clamp and the insulin-suppression test. Minimal model analysis of frequently sampled intravenous glucose tolerance test and oral glucose tolerance test provide an indirect estimate of metabolic insulin sensitivity/resistance. The main aim of the treatment of IR in children is to prevent the progression of compensated IR to decompensated IR, enhance insulin sensitivity, and treat possible complications. There are three main lines for treatment: Lifestyle and behavior modification, pharmacotherapy, and surgery. This review will discuss the magnitude, implications, diagnosis, and treatment of IR in children.

An Overview of the Obese-Asthma Phenotype in Children

Asthma is the most common chronic disease in childhood. Overweight and obesity are included among the comorbidities considered in patients with difficult-to-treat asthma, suggesting a specific phenotype of the disease. Therefore, the constant increase in obesity prevalence in children and adolescents raises concerns about the parallel increase of obesity-associated asthma. The possible correlation between obesity and asthma has been investigated over the last decade by different authors, who suggest a complex multifactorial relationship. Although the particular non-eosinophilic endotype of obesity-related asthma supports the concept that high body weight precedes asthma development, there is ongoing debate about the direct causality of these two entities. A number of mechanisms may be involved in asthma in combination with obesity disease in children, including reduced physical activity, abnormal ventilation, chronic systemic inflammation, hormonal influences, genetics and additional comorbidities, such as gastroesophageal reflux and dysfunctional breathing. The identification of the obesity-related asthma phenotype is crucial to initiate specific therapeutic management. Besides the cornerstones of asthma treatment, lifestyle should be optimized, with interventions aiming to promote physical exercise, healthy diet, and comorbidities. Future studies should clarify the exact association between asthma and obesity and the mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of these two related conditions with the aim to define personalized therapeutic strategies for asthma management in this population.

Coaggregation of Asthma and Type 1 Diabetes in Children: A Narrative Review

Asthma and type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) are two of the most frequent chronic diseases in children, representing a model of the atopic and autoimmune diseases respectively. These two groups of disorders are mediated by different immunological pathways, T helper (Th)1 for diabetes and Th2 for asthma. For many years, these two groups were thought to be mutually exclusive according to the Th1/Th2 paradigm. In children, the incidence of both diseases is steadily increasing worldwide. In this narrative review, we report the evidence of the potential link between asthma and T1DM in childhood. We discuss which molecular mechanisms could be involved in the link between asthma and T1DM, such as genetic predisposition, cytokine patterns, and environmental influences. Cytokine profile of children with asthma and T1DM shows an activation of both Th1 and Th2 pathways, suggesting a complex genetic-epigenetic interaction. In conclusion, in children, the potential link between asthma and T1DM needs further investigation to improve the diagnostic and therapeutic approach to these patients. The aim of this review is to invite the pediatricians to consider the potential copresence of these two disorders in clinical practice.

The association of co-morbid asthma and overweight/obese status with healthcare utilization and caregiver perception of health in children 4-17 years, a NHANES study

OBJECTIVE

Asthma and obesity are two of the most common chronic childhood illnesses. The purpose of this study was to better understand the relationship between co-morbid asthma and obesity in children aged 4-17 and whether it impacts the caregiver's perception of health and/or healthcare utilization.

METHODS

This was a secondary analysis of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES) datasets from 2007 to 2018. Cumulative logistic regression models were used to analyze the caregiver's perception of health, received healthcare, and overnight hospital stay as dependent variables. Asthma and weight status were included as covariates, with adjustment for age, income, head of the household's education, gender, race, and insurance.

RESULTS

The sample included 15,386 children. When looking at weight status in addition to asthma, compared to caregivers of children with current asthma and normal weight, caregivers of children with current asthma and with obesity are more likely to perceive their children as having worse health (OR = 1.73, 95%CI = [1.30, 2.32], p = 0.0003), and are more likely to have more frequent healthcare utilization but the results did not reach a statistical significance.

CONCLUSIONS

Caregiver's perception of overall health was worse in caregivers of those with co-morbid obesity/asthma than in caregivers of children with asthma alone. This indicates that caregivers of children with co-morbid asthma and obesity have insight into their children's condition and may be primed for discussion and counseling in the healthcare setting.