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Assessment of Child Anthropometry in a Large Epidemiologic Study
Published on: February 2, 2017
Obesity-associated asthma in children: a distinct entity
Deepa Rastogi1, Stephen M Canfield2, Andrea Andrade1
1Department of Pediatrics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx.
Chest
|October 8, 2011
Summary
Pediatric asthma in obese children shows a T helper 1 (Th1) immune response, unlike typical atopic asthma. This Th1 polarization is linked to poorer lung function in obese children with asthma.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Pediatrics
- Respiratory Medicine
Background:
- Obesity-associated asthma is a distinct clinical entity in children.
- Mechanisms involve obesity-mediated inflammation and adiposity, poorly defined in pediatric populations.
- Hypothesized a T helper 1 (Th1) immune response, contrasting with Th2 in atopic asthma.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate immune differences in pediatric obesity-associated asthma.
- To explore the relationship between Th1/Th2 biomarkers, anthropometry, and pulmonary function in obese asthmatic children.
Main Methods:
- Recruited 120 children across four groups: obese asthmatic, nonobese asthmatic, obese nonasthmatic, and nonobese nonasthmatic.
- Conducted pulmonary function testing (PFTs) and measured serum cytokines.
- Analyzed T-cell responses for intracellular interferon-γ (IFN-γ) (Th1) and IL-4 (Th2) via flow cytometry.
Main Results:
- Obese asthmatic children exhibited significantly higher Th1 responses and lower Th2 responses compared to nonobese asthmatic children.
- Th-cell patterns were similar between obese asthmatic and obese nonasthmatic children.
- Obese asthmatic children showed reduced FEV1/FVC and RV/TLC ratios, correlating with serum IFN-γ levels.
Conclusions:
- Pediatric obesity-associated asthma is characterized by Th1 immune polarization, differentiating it from atopic asthma.
- The altered immune environment in obese asthmatic children inversely correlates with pulmonary function.
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