A STUDY OF PULMONARY FUNCTION TESTS IN NON-OBESE AND OBESE PATIENTS WITH BRONCHIAL ASTHMA AT A TERTIERY CARE CENTRE

Authors: SONAL SURESH ARSUDE, Ravi Kamble, Rakhi Gosavi, Rahul Lokhande

DOI: 10.18231/j.pjms.8472.1759751551

Keywords: Asthma, pulmonary function test, obesity

Abstract: Background and objective: Bronchial asthma and obesity are chronic diseases that pose significant health challenges globally. Both conditions are characterized by inflammation. Therefore, this study aims to assess the impact of obesity on pulmonary function in individuals with asthma. Materials and methods: This was a cross-sectional observational study conducted in the Department of Respiratory Medicine at BJGMC, Pune. We included asthmatic patients who met specific inclusion and exclusion criteria. The study compared pulmonary function tests (PFTs) between two groups: Group I (non-obese) and Group II (obese) asthmatic patients, as well as the severity of asthma between the two groups. Spirometry was performed to assess pulmonary function. Statistical analysis was conducted using the Student's t-test for quantitative variables and the chi-square test for qualitative variables. Results: In Group I, mean age was 57.4 11.2 years, while in Group II, mean age was 61.6 12.1years. The mean FEV1 (% predicted) of non-obese asthmatic patients was significantly higher than the mean FEV1 (% predicted) of obese asthmatic patients. The mean FEV1/FVC ratio of non-obese asthmatic patients was significantly higher than the mean FEV1/FVC ratio of obese asthmatic patients. Conclusion: Pulmonary function tests show greater impairment in obese asthmatic patients compared to their non-obese counterparts. As body mass index (BMI) increases, pulmonary function tends to decline further among asthmatic individuals. In conclusion, being overweight or obese is linked to significantly greater airflow obstruction and poorer asthma management.