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Olejnik AE, Kuźnar-Kamińska B. Association of Obesity and Severe Asthma in Adults. J Clin Med 2024; 13:3474. [PMID: 38930006 PMCID: PMC11204497 DOI: 10.3390/jcm13123474] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2024] [Revised: 06/06/2024] [Accepted: 06/10/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
The incidence of obesity and asthma continues to enhance, significantly impacting global public health. Adipose tissue is an organ that secretes hormones and cytokines, causes meta-inflammation, and contributes to the intensification of bronchial hyperreactivity, oxidative stress, and consequently affects the different phenotypes of asthma in obese people. As body weight increases, the risk of severe asthma increases, as well as more frequent exacerbations requiring the use of glucocorticoids and hospitalization, which consequently leads to a deterioration of the quality of life. This review discusses the relationship between obesity and severe asthma, the underlying molecular mechanisms, changes in respiratory function tests in obese people, its impact on the occurrence of comorbidities, and consequently, a different response to conventional asthma treatment. The article also reviews research on possible future therapies for severe asthma. The manuscript is a narrative review of clinical trials in severe asthma and comorbid obesity. The articles were found in the PubMed database using the keywords asthma and obesity. Studies on severe asthma were then selected for inclusion in the article. The sections: 'The classification connected with asthma and obesity', 'Obesity-related changes in pulmonary functional tests', and 'Obesity and inflammation', include studies on subjects without asthma or non-severe asthma, which, according to the authors, familiarize the reader with the pathophysiology of obesity-related asthma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aneta Elżbieta Olejnik
- Department of Pulmonology, Allergology and Pulmonary Oncology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Szamarzewskiego 84 Street, 60-569 Poznan, Poland;
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Witte A, Türk Y, Braunstahl GJ. Obesity-related asthma: new insights leading to a different approach. Curr Opin Pulm Med 2024; 30:294-302. [PMID: 38441436 DOI: 10.1097/mcp.0000000000001073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/23/2024]
Abstract
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.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adjan Witte
- Department of Pulmonology, Franciscus Gasthuis & Vlietland, The Netherlands
| | - Yasemin Türk
- Department of Pulmonology, Franciscus Gasthuis & Vlietland, The Netherlands
- Dutch Asthma Center Davos, Davos, Switzerland
| | - Gert-Jan Braunstahl
- Department of Pulmonology, Franciscus Gasthuis & Vlietland, The Netherlands
- Department of Pulmonary Disease, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
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Listyoko AS, Okazaki R, Harada T, Inui G, Yamasaki A. Impact of obesity on airway remodeling in asthma: pathophysiological insights and clinical implications. FRONTIERS IN ALLERGY 2024; 5:1365801. [PMID: 38562155 PMCID: PMC10982419 DOI: 10.3389/falgy.2024.1365801] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2024] [Accepted: 03/07/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
The prevalence of obesity among asthma patients has surged in recent years, posing a significant risk factor for uncontrolled asthma. Beyond its impact on asthma severity and patients' quality of life, obesity is associated with reduced lung function, increased asthma exacerbations, hospitalizations, heightened airway hyperresponsiveness, and elevated asthma-related mortality. Obesity may lead to metabolic dysfunction and immune dysregulation, fostering chronic inflammation characterized by increased pro-inflammatory mediators and adipocytokines, elevated reactive oxygen species, and reduced antioxidant activity. This chronic inflammation holds the potential to induce airway remodeling in individuals with asthma and obesity. Airway remodeling encompasses structural and pathological changes, involving alterations in the airway's epithelial and subepithelial layers, hyperplasia and hypertrophy of airway smooth muscle, and changes in airway vascularity. In individuals with asthma and obesity, airway remodeling may underlie heightened airway hyperresponsiveness and increased asthma severity, ultimately contributing to the development of persistent airflow limitation, declining lung function, and a potential increase in asthma-related mortality. Despite efforts to address the impact of obesity on asthma outcomes, the intricate mechanisms linking obesity to asthma pathophysiology, particularly concerning airway remodeling, remain incompletely understood. This comprehensive review discusses current research investigating the influence of obesity on airway remodeling, to enhance our understanding of obesity's role in the context of asthma airway remodeling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aditya Sri Listyoko
- Division of Respiratory Medicine and Rheumatology, Department of Multidisciplinary Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Tottori University, Yonago, Japan
- Pulmonology and Respiratory Medicine Department, Faculty of Medicine, Brawijaya University-Dr. Saiful Anwar General Hospital, Malang, Indonesia
| | - Ryota Okazaki
- Division of Respiratory Medicine and Rheumatology, Department of Multidisciplinary Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Tottori University, Yonago, Japan
| | - Tomoya Harada
- Division of Respiratory Medicine and Rheumatology, Department of Multidisciplinary Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Tottori University, Yonago, Japan
| | - Genki Inui
- Division of Respiratory Medicine and Rheumatology, Department of Multidisciplinary Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Tottori University, Yonago, Japan
| | - Akira Yamasaki
- Division of Respiratory Medicine and Rheumatology, Department of Multidisciplinary Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Tottori University, Yonago, Japan
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Tashiro H, Kurihara Y, Kuwahara Y, Takahashi K. Impact of obesity in asthma: Possible future therapies. Allergol Int 2024; 73:48-57. [PMID: 37659887 DOI: 10.1016/j.alit.2023.08.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2023] [Revised: 07/10/2023] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 09/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Obesity is one of the factors associated with the severity of asthma. Obesity is associated with aggravation of the pathophysiology of asthma, including exacerbations, airway inflammation, decreased pulmonary function, and airway hyperresponsiveness. The present review addresses the characteristics of asthma with obesity, focusing especially on the heterogeneity caused by the degree of type 2 inflammation, sex differences, the onset of asthma, and race differences. To understand the severity mechanisms in asthma and obesity, such as corticosteroid resistance, fatty acids, gut microbiome, and cytokines, several basic research studies are evaluated. Finally, possible future therapies, including weight reduction, microbiome-targeted therapies, and other molecular targeted therapies are addressed. We believe that the present review will contribute to better understanding of the severity mechanisms and the establishment of novel treatments for severe asthma patients with obesity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroki Tashiro
- Division of Hematology, Respiratory Medicine and Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Saga University, Saga, Japan.
| | - Yuki Kurihara
- Division of Hematology, Respiratory Medicine and Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Saga University, Saga, Japan
| | - Yuki Kuwahara
- Division of Hematology, Respiratory Medicine and Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Saga University, Saga, Japan
| | - Koichiro Takahashi
- Division of Hematology, Respiratory Medicine and Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Saga University, Saga, Japan
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Tashiro H, Takahashi K, Uchida M, Kurihara Y, Sadamatsu H, Takamori A, Kimura S, Sueoka-Aragane N. Effect of Azithromycin on Exacerbations in Asthma Patients with Obesity: Protocol for a Multi-Center, Prospective, Single-Arm Intervention Study. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:1861. [PMID: 36767227 PMCID: PMC9915079 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20031861] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2022] [Revised: 01/13/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Obesity is associated with severe asthma, but no specific treatment has been established. The gut microbiome is increasingly recognized as a crucial factor, but specific treatments focused on the gut microbiome have not been established. Recently, azithromycin has been found to have the capacity to attenuate exacerbations, a characteristic of severe asthma. The effect of azithromycin on obesity-induced severe asthma is not understood. METHODS The purpose of the present study is to clarify the effect of azithromycin on exacerbations in asthmatic patients with obesity. To explore the mechanism, the gut microbiome, metabolites of microbes such as short-chain fatty acids, and blood inflammatory cytokines will be analyzed to evaluate the correlation with the effect of azithromycin on exacerbations in obesity-induced severe asthma. A multi-center, prospective, single-arm intervention study is planned. DISCUSSION The present study will allow us to evaluate the effect of azithromycin on exacerbations, particularly in asthma patients with obesity, and explore biomarkers, targeting molecules including the gut microbiome, which are correlated with decreased exacerbations. The present results could contribute to identifying new therapeutic prospects and targeted microbes or molecules associated with severe clinical characteristics in asthmatic patients with obesity. TRIAL REGISTRATION This study has been registered as a prospective study with the University Hospital Medical Information Network (UMIN0000484389) and the Japan Registry of Clinical Trials (jRCTs071220023).
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroki Tashiro
- Division of Hematology, Respiratory Medicine and Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Saga University, Saga 8498501, Japan
- TARGET Investigator Group, Saga 8498501, Japan
| | - Koichiro Takahashi
- Division of Hematology, Respiratory Medicine and Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Saga University, Saga 8498501, Japan
- TARGET Investigator Group, Saga 8498501, Japan
| | - Masaru Uchida
- TARGET Investigator Group, Saga 8498501, Japan
- Division of Internal Medicine, Japan Community Health Care Organization Saga Central Hospital, Saga 8498522, Japan
| | - Yuki Kurihara
- Division of Hematology, Respiratory Medicine and Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Saga University, Saga 8498501, Japan
- TARGET Investigator Group, Saga 8498501, Japan
| | - Hironori Sadamatsu
- TARGET Investigator Group, Saga 8498501, Japan
- Division of Respiratory Medicine, Saga Prefectural Medical Center Koseikan, Saga 8408571, Japan
| | - Ayako Takamori
- Clinical Research Center, Saga University Hospital, Saga 8498501, Japan
| | - Shinya Kimura
- Division of Hematology, Respiratory Medicine and Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Saga University, Saga 8498501, Japan
| | - Naoko Sueoka-Aragane
- Division of Hematology, Respiratory Medicine and Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Saga University, Saga 8498501, Japan
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Obesity affects pulmonary function in Japanese adult patients with asthma, but not those without asthma. Sci Rep 2022; 12:16457. [PMID: 36180514 PMCID: PMC9525285 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-20924-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2022] [Accepted: 09/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Obesity is associated with the severity of asthma, which is characterized by airway obstruction. Pulmonary function testing is one of the important examinations for evaluating airway obstruction. However, the impact of obesity on pulmonary function in patients with asthma is not fully understood. A total of 193 patients with asthma and 2159 patients without asthma who visited Saga University Hospital were investigated retrospectively. Obesity was defined as a body mass index (BMI) greater than 25 kg/m2. Pulmonary functions including forced vital capacity (FVC) and forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) were compared between patients with and without asthma, focusing especially on obesity. FVC percent predicted and FEV1 percent predicted were significantly lower in patients with asthma than in those without asthma (p = 0.03, < 0.01 respectively). In patients with asthma, FVC percent predicted and FEV1 percent predicted were significantly lower in patients with obesity than in those without obesity (all p < 0.01). In addition, BMI was negatively correlated with FEV1 (r =- 0.21, p = 0.003) and FVC (r = - 0.15, p = 0.04), along with the percent predicted. On multivariate analysis in patients with asthma, FVC (β [95% confidence interval] 0.12 [0.02-0.22], p = 0.02) and FEV1 (0.13 [0.05-0.22], p < 0.01) were still significantly different between patients with and without obesity. However, these obesity-associated differences were not observed in patients without asthma. Obesity reduces pulmonary function, including FVC and FEV1, in patients with asthma, but not in those without asthma.
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Choi Y, Luu QQ, Park HS. Extracellular Traps: A Novel Therapeutic Target for Severe Asthma. J Asthma Allergy 2022; 15:803-810. [PMID: 35726304 PMCID: PMC9206515 DOI: 10.2147/jaa.s366014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2022] [Accepted: 05/24/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Asthma is a complicated disease defined by a combination of clinical symptoms and physiological characteristics. Typically, asthma is diagnosed by the presence of episodic cough, wheezing, or dyspnea triggered by variable environmental factors (allergens and respiratory infections), and reversible airflow obstruction. To date, the majority of asthmatic patients have been adequately controlled by anti-inflammatory/bronchodilating agents, but those with severe asthma (SA) have not been sufficiently controlled by high-dose inhaled corticosteroids-long-acting beta-agonists plus additional controllers including leukotriene modifiers. Accordingly, these uncontrolled patients provoke a special issue, because they consume high healthcare resources, requiring innovative precision medicine solutions. Recently, phenotyping based on biomarkers of airway inflammation has led to elucidating the pathophysiological mechanism of SA, where emerging evidence has highlighted the significance of eosinophil or neutrophil extracellular traps contributing to the development of SA. Here, we aimed to provide current findings about extracellular traps as a novel therapeutic target for asthma to address medical unmet needs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Youngwoo Choi
- Department of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Korea
| | - Quoc Quang Luu
- Department of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Korea.,Department of Biomedical Sciences, Graduate School of Ajou University, Suwon, Korea
| | - Hae-Sim Park
- Department of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Korea.,Department of Biomedical Sciences, Graduate School of Ajou University, Suwon, Korea
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Farzan S, Coyle T, Coscia G, Rebaza A, Santiago M. Clinical Characteristics and Management Strategies for Adult Obese Asthma Patients. J Asthma Allergy 2022; 15:673-689. [PMID: 35611328 PMCID: PMC9124473 DOI: 10.2147/jaa.s285738] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2022] [Accepted: 05/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The rates of asthma and obesity are increasing concurrently in the United States. Epidemiologic studies demonstrate that the incidence of asthma increases with obesity. Furthermore, obese individuals have asthma that is more severe, harder to control, and resistant to standard medications. In fact, specific asthma-obesity phenotypes have been identified. Various pathophysiologic mechanisms, including mechanical, inflammatory, metabolic and microbiome-associated, are at play in promulgating the obese-asthma phenotypes. While standard asthma medications, such as inhaled corticosteroids and biologics, are currently used to treat obese asthmatics, they may have limited effectiveness. Targeting the underlying aberrant processes, such as addressing steroid resistance, microbiome, metabolic and weight loss approaches, may be helpful.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sherry Farzan
- Division of Allergy & Immunology, Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, Northwell Health System, Great Neck, NY, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, Northwell Health System, Queens, NY, USA
- Department of Medicine, Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, Northwell Health System, Manhasett, NY, USA
- Institute of Health System Science, Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, Northwell Health System, Manhasset, NY, USA
- Correspondence: Sherry Farzan, Division of Allergy & Immunology, Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, Northwell Health System, 865 Northern Blvd, Suite 101, Great Neck, NY, 11021, USA, Tel +1 516-622-5070, Fax +1 516-622-5060, Email
| | - Tyrone Coyle
- Division of Allergy & Immunology, Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, Northwell Health System, Great Neck, NY, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, Northwell Health System, Queens, NY, USA
- Department of Medicine, Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, Northwell Health System, Manhasett, NY, USA
| | - Gina Coscia
- Division of Allergy & Immunology, Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, Northwell Health System, Great Neck, NY, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, Northwell Health System, Queens, NY, USA
- Department of Medicine, Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, Northwell Health System, Manhasett, NY, USA
| | - Andre Rebaza
- Department of Pediatrics, Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, Northwell Health System, Queens, NY, USA
- Division of Pediatric Pulmonology, Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, Northwell Health System, New York, NY, USA
| | - Maria Santiago
- Department of Pediatrics, Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, Northwell Health System, Queens, NY, USA
- Division of Pediatric Pulmonology, Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, Northwell Health System, New York, NY, USA
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Evaluation of the obesity influence on the life quality in patients with bronchial asthma. EUREKA: HEALTH SCIENCES 2021. [DOI: 10.21303/2504-5679.2021.001842] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The obese asthma is characterized by a more severe course. The feature of this comorbid condition is the reduced effectiveness of basic therapy with inhaled corticosteroids, which prevents optimal control of symptoms, requires increasing doses and increases the number of exacerbations and hospitalizations. The problem of life quality (LQ) research in patients with asthma and obesity is highly relevant today, which made it the reason for this study.
The aim of the study was to determine the effect of obesity on LQ in patients with asthma.
Materials and methods. We selected for participating in the study 46 patients with moderate severity asthma. Examination of the patients included: objective examination with an anthropometric evaluation, the test of the LQ with two questionnaires: general one – Medical Outcome Study SF-36 (MOS SF-36) and specialized Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire (AQLQ).
Results. The increase in body mass index (BMI) in patients with asthma according to the questionnaires MOS SF-36 and AQLQ is associated with significant reductions in viability (r=–0.33, p<0.05), physical activity (r=–0.37, p<0.01), social activity (r=–0.36, p <0.01) and the degree of reduction of the patient's tolerance to adverse environmental factors (r=–0.29, p<0.05)
Conclusions. The presence of concomitant obesity in patients with asthma is associated with significant reductions in the parameters of physical and social activity, viability and with an increase in the subjective pain assessment (according to the questionnaire MOS SF-36) and characterized by significantly lower rates of activity, tolerance to adverse environmental factors and general life quality (according to the AQLQ questionnaire).
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