Images in Allergy and Immunology
Obesity and pulmonary function testing

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaci.2004.12.1141Get rights and content

References (10)

There are more references available in the full text version of this article.

Cited by (28)

  • Biomarkers of airway and systemic inflammation in obese asthmatic paediatric patients

    2017, Allergologia et Immunopathologia
    Citation Excerpt :

    Obesity changes pulmonary physiology and lung mechanics, which lead to a decrease in lung volume.3 Other studies have shown that systemic inflammation in overweight and obese individuals can trigger asthma.3–6 It is thought that airway inflammation is more common in obese asthmatic patients since inflammation is harder to control in obese and asthmatic patients and does not respond well to glucocorticoid treatment.4

  • Identifying biomarkers for asthma diagnosis using targeted metabolomics approaches

    2016, Respiratory Medicine
    Citation Excerpt :

    Several studies have demonstrated a positive association between obesity and asthma in children [9,10]. Obesity has a negative effect on lung mechanics, absolute airflows, and lung volumes, even in the absence of airway inflammation [47,48]. Moreover, obesity may be linked to a unique asthma phenotype, including a more severe clinical presentation and increased steroid resistance [49].

  • Systemic inflammation and higher perception of dyspnea mimicking asthma in obese subjects

    2016, Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology
    Citation Excerpt :

    Obesity has been shown to cause a reduction in respiratory mechanics, as well as an increase in the work of breathing.14 In obese subjects excess soft tissue weight compressing the rib cage, fatty infiltration of the chest wall, and an increase in pulmonary blood volume contribute to a reduction in respiratory system compliance.9 When morbidly obese patients are compared with nonobese subjects, the decrease in respiratory muscle function, as well as the reduction in respiratory system compliance, results in decreased static lung volumes (particularly functional residual capacity),14 higher oxygen cost of breathing, and a subjective increase in dyspnea.9

View all citing articles on Scopus

Editor's note: This feature, Images in allergy and immunology, is designed to highlight current concepts of the immunopathology of allergic diseases and other common immunologically mediated diseases. The presentation will appear as sets of images that involve cross-pathology, histopathology, and molecular pathology and will cover a range of topics of interest to allergists and immunologists.

Supported by National Institutes of Health grant K23 HL-04385 (Dr Sutherland).

View full text