[Obesity and asthma: Mechanisms and therapeutic options]

[Prevalence of asthma among adults in France, data from the Constances cohort study]

INTRODUCTION

The objectives of our study were to estimate the prevalence of asthma in adults in France and to study the effects of gender on the associations of asthma with the corpulence and socio-economic characteristics of individuals.

METHODS

We estimated the prevalence of current asthma (asthma attack in the past 12 months or current treatment for asthma) from data collected at inclusion in the Constances cohort study in 2013-2014. Analyses were performed separately in men and women, using robust Poisson regression for multivariate analysis.

RESULTS

Using data from 34,100 participants in the cohort (men: 47.7 %; mean age: 44.6 years), the prevalence of current asthma was estimated to be 5.8 % (5.1 % in men, 6.4 % in women). The risk of asthma was increased in women with high body mass index (BMI) or waist circumference. In men, only a high waist circumference was associated with an increased risk of asthma. An association with low socioeconomic status was observed only among women.

CONCLUSION

The associations of asthma with corpulence and socioeconomic status differed between men and women. Additional analyses should provide a better understanding of the mechanisms responsible for these differences.

Serum concentration of asprosin in new-onset type 2 diabetes

BACKGROUND

Asprosin, a newly identified adipokine, is pathologically increased in individuals with insulin resistance. However, the available evidence on the association of asprosin and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) status is still scarce. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the relationship between serum concentrations of asprosin and T2DM status.

METHODS

This observational study was performed based on 194 adults (97 newly diagnosed T2DM and 97 healthy individuals). Anthropometric and biochemical variables were determined in all participants. Serum concentrations of asprosin were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

RESULTS

In patients with T2DM, the serum concentrations of asprosin were significantly higher than the healthy controls (4.18 [IQR: 4.4] vs. 3.5 [IQR: 1.85], P < 0.001). The concentrations of asprosin were significantly correlated with body mass index (BMI) and fasting blood glucose (FBG) in healthy subjects and with BMI, FBG, hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), and quantitative insulin check index (QUICKI), triacylglycerol (TAG) and total cholesterol/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (TC/HDL-C) ratio in the T2DM group. In fully adjusted model, the odds ratio (OR) of T2DM with serum concentrations of asprosin was approximately 1.547 (95% CI 1.293-1.850, P < 0.001) compared to the control group. Multiple stepwise regression analysis indicated that FBG and HOMA-IR were independently associated with asprosin in T2DM.

CONCLUSION

Our findings indicated that serum concentrations of asprosin are increased in patients with T2DM. Also, asprosin is correlated with insulin resistance and TC/HDL-C ratio (atherosclerotic risk factor of cardiovascular diseases) in patients with T2DM.