Mechanisms of obesity in asthma.

Abstract

PURPOSE OF REVIEW:

Obesity and asthma are chronic conditions affecting millions of people worldwide. The two conditions also appear to be linked with an increased risk of asthma in people who are obese. The purpose of this review is to describe mechanism(s) that may explain the association between asthma and obesity.

RECENT FINDINGS:

Current evidence suggests that the association between asthma and obesity is linked by two major phenotypes and three important pathways of obesity-related asthma: one phenotype with primary (often atopic) asthma that is aggravated by obesity and a second phenotype with late-onset nonatopic asthma, which predominantly affects women and primarily seems to be associated with neutrophilic inflammation. Proposed pathways include the mechanical effects of obesity (fewer deep inspirations leading to increased airway hyperresponsiveness), an inflammatory pathway driven by obesity-related cytokines (adipokines), and finally environment and lifestyle changes that have led to an increasing prevalence of obesity over the past 50 years (including exposures in utero, physical activity, and diet) may also result in asthma in predisposed individuals. How these environmental changes influence the occurrence and expression of asthma may depend on the age of exposure and on interactions with genetic susceptibilities.

SUMMARY:

Future research should be directed to shed light on the associations between obesity and asthma phenotypes, modern lifestyles and environmental exposures and genetic susceptibilities.

VIDEO ABSTRACT:

http://links.lww.com/COAI/A6.

• Authors: Finn Rasmussen, Robert J Hancox
• Journal: Current opinion in allergy and clinical immunology (Curr Opin Allergy Clin Immunol) Vol. 14 Issue 1 Pg. 35-43 (Feb 2014) ISSN: 1473-6322 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 24300417 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Review)

Chemical References

• Adipokines
• Inflammation Mediators

Topics

• Adipokines (metabolism)
• Age Factors
• Asthma (epidemiology, etiology)
• Bronchial Hyperreactivity
• Environmental Exposure (adverse effects)
• Female
• Genetic Predisposition to Disease
• Humans
• Inflammation Mediators (metabolism)
• Life Style
• Maternal Exposure (adverse effects)
• Neutrophils (immunology)
• Obesity (complications, epidemiology)
• Sex Factors