TY - JOUR T1 - Impact of obesity on markers of asthma severity, control, health-related quality of life (HrQOL) and eosinophilia JF - European Respiratory Journal JO - Eur Respir J VL - 42 IS - Suppl 57 SP - P815 AU - Mithun Murthy AU - Indrani Karpha AU - Rajesh Yadavilli AU - Diana Lees AU - Hassan Burhan Y1 - 2013/09/01 UR - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/42/Suppl_57/P815.abstract N2 - Background: Asthma and obesity have a complex relationship. Some studies suggest higher incident asthma in obese patients, while others suggest risk of misdiagnosis (Scott S et al, Chest 2012;141:616-24). Higher BMI is linked to poorer HrQOL and asthma control (Lavoie K et al, Respir Med 2006;100:648-57).Aim: To study influence of obesity on asthma severity (FEV1), blood eosinophils, Asthma Control Test (ACT) and Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire (AQLQ) scores in patients attending a tertiary asthma clinic.Methods: Retrospective review of patients (N=108) attending the Royal Liverpool difficult asthma service. Asthma diagnosed by specialists. Hypothesis testing using t-test & z-test.Results: Mean (SD) age 49.3 (17.9) & BMI 30.0 (7.04).View this table:Table 1Mean FEV1 was lower in obese asthmatics (2.3 V 2.0). No difference was seen in mean blood eosinophils between groups. However, significantly higher proportion of obese asthmatics had uncontrolled eosinophilia (26% V 13%). Obese patients also had worse AQLQ and ACT scores, both tending towards significance. A higher proportion of obese asthmatics were on step 5 treatment (33% V 21%).Conclusions: In our study, obese asthmatics had worse HrQOL, asthma control and FEV1, with a higher proportion on BTS step 5 treatment. This may reflect greater severity in this group, but may also be due to loss of control. ER -