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Pulmonary physiologic changes of morbid obesity
M S Biring1, M I Lewis, J T Liu
1Department of Medicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, UCLA School of Medicine, Los Angeles, California 90048, USA.
The American Journal of the Medical Sciences
|November 11, 1999
Summary
Extreme obesity significantly reduces pulmonary function, including expiratory reserve volume (ERV) and forced vital capacity (FVC). Smoking partially explains these effects in severely obese individuals.
Area of Science:
- Pulmonary Medicine
- Obesity Research
Background:
- Extreme obesity is a growing public health concern.
- Pulmonary function abnormalities are common in obese individuals.
- Previous studies on obesity and pulmonary function have involved smaller populations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of extreme obesity on pulmonary function tests.
- To assess the influence of smoking on these pulmonary variables in an obese cohort.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of pulmonary function test data from 43 patients with extreme obesity (weight/height ratio > 0.9).
- Patients were categorized into two groups based on their weight/height ratio.
- Pulmonary function parameters including FVC, FEV1, ERV, FRC, MVV, FEF25-75%, and DLCO were analyzed.
Main Results:
- Significant reductions in ERV, FVC, FEV1, FRC, FEF25-75%, and MVV were observed in both obese groups.
- Single-breath diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide (DLCO) was not elevated.
- Smoking partially accounted for decreased FVC, FEV1, and FEF25-75% in the more severely obese group (W/H > 1.0).
Conclusions:
- Extreme obesity is associated with significant decrements in multiple pulmonary function measures.
- Contrary to some previous reports, DLCO is not elevated in extreme obesity.
- Smoking exacerbates pulmonary function deficits in severely obese individuals, but does not fully explain them.