Azad, A. P. (2020) Physical Condition and Clinical Parameters in Adults with Moderate to Severe Asthma: A Cross-Sectional Study. thesis, Medicine.
Full text available on request.Abstract
Asthma is a chronic airway disease with growing prevalence in Western industrialized countries. This growing prevalence has been suggested to be partly attributable to changes in environmental exposure and lifestyle. Phenotypically, asthma patients may be divided according to eosinophilic and non-eosinophilic type inflammation. Eosinophilic type asthma is one of the most severe and challenging to treat. Cardiorespiratory fitness and physical condition have been suggested to play a significant role in asthma control, therefore we aimed to assess the link between physical condition and clinical parameters in adult moderate to severe asthma patients regarding eosinophilic vs. non-eosinophilic asthma. For this cross-sectional study, 30 moderate to severe asthma patients were recruited at the Medical Centre Leeuwarden pulmonary outpatient clinic. Blood samples were collected to assess eosinophilic inflammation (≥0.15×109 cells/L) and divided accordingly: eosinophilic (N=13) versus non-eosinophilic (N=16). Anthropometrical measurements were conducted, including waist and hip circumference, and bio-impedance analysis. Questionnaires were used to assess quality of life and healthcare utilization regarding asthma. Statistical analyses included Fisher’s Exact Test, Chi square, and independent two-sample t-test. Subsequently waist-to-hip ratio (WHpR) and clinical parameters were correlated using the Pearson correlation coefficient. The study population consisted of 22 (73%) females and 8 (27%) males with a mean age of 50 years (Range: 26-77). WHpR was found to be higher in eosinophilic asthma patients compared to non-eosinophilic asthma patients (Mean ±SD: 0.94 ±0.08 vs. 0.88±0.09, p= 0.046), indicating more abdominal obesity in eosinophilic asthmatics. The number of hospital admissions due to asthma in the last year was positively associated with WHpR (Pearson’s r: 0.385, p= 0.043), suggesting more healthcare utilization in asthma patients with central obesity. On the other hand, eosinophilic asthma patients had a better quality of life score compared to patients without eosinophilia (Mean ±SD: 5.86±0.64 versus 5.13±0.82, p=0.017). Patients with eosinophilic asthma had more abdominal obesity compared to non-eosinophilic asthma, and there indeed exists a positive correlation between healthcare utilization due to asthma and an anthropometrical measure. If our results are mirrored by future studies, these findings may aid clinicians in the early diagnosis of eosinophilic type asthmatics and perhaps the management of overweight asthmatics.
| Item Type: | Thesis (UNSPECIFIED) |
|---|---|
| Supervisor name: | Ten Brinke, Mw. Dr. A. and Visser, Mw. E. |
| Faculty: | Medical Sciences |
| Date Deposited: | 08 Aug 2023 11:32 |
| Last Modified: | 08 Aug 2023 11:32 |
| URI: | https://umcg.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/id/eprint/3617 |
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