Body mass index and quality of life in patients with asthma

Background: We examined the effect of overweight and obesity on quality of life in patients with asthma. Methods: Two hundred out-patients with asthma (aged 18 - 80 yrs, mean age 55 yrs, 33% males) were divided into 3 groups: with normal body mass index (BMI<25), overweight (25≤BMI<30) and obese (BMI≥30). Quality of life was measured by using Russian version of St.George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ). Results: Fifty eight percent of males and in 69% of females with asthma had BMI≥25: 35% of males and females were overweight and 23% males and 34% females were obese. BMI in males was 26.8±0.62, in females – 28.9±0.55 (p<0.05). Correlation of age and BMI was significant only in males (r=0.35, p<0.05). The relationship between BMI and Symptom score was not determined. BMI in patients with asthma was mainly associated with Activity score (r=0,22, p<0.05), both in males (r=0,27, p<0.05) and in females (r=0,22, p<0.05), with Impact (r=0.17, p<0.05) and Total score (r=0.19, p<0.05). In patients with BMI<25 and in those with BMI≥25 the differences of Activity (39.7±3.38 vs 49.3±2.05, p<0.01) and Impact scores (29.9±2.64 vs 36.9±1.82, p<0.05) were significant. We did not reveal any relationship between normal BMI and SGRQ scores in patients with asthma. Overweight and obesity were associated with Activity (r=0,20, p<0,05) and Total score (r=0,17, p<0.05). In asthmatic males the relationship between BMI≥25 and SGRQ Activity score (r=0,41, p<0.05), Impact score (r=0,33, p<0.05) and Total score (r=0,37, p<0.05) were determined. Conclusion: Obesity and overweight are frequently associated with asthma. There was a significant correlation between BMI≥25 and Activity, Impact and Total items of SGRQ.