Effect of obesity on patient-reported outcomes in sarcoidosis

To assess the impact of high body mass index (BMI) on patient-reported outcomes in sarcoidosis patients and healthy persons.

In this case-control study, we investigated symptoms of fatigue and dyspnoea, health status, BMI and spirometric tests in 184 sarcoidosis patients and the same number of sex- and age-matched healthy subjects. Fatigue was assessed using the fatigue scale (FS), dyspnoea was determined by the baseline dyspnoea index (BDI) and health status was measured using the respiratory-specific St George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ).

There were significantly more subjects with increased BMI (≥25 kg/m(2)) among the sarcoidosis patients than among the healthy volunteers ((2) 37.675, P < 0.01). Sarcoidosis patients also had a greater probability of having a higher BMI (P < 0.01, OR 1.18, 95%CI 1.071.3). We found significantly lower BDI scores and forced expiratory volume in 1 s/forced vital capacity, as well as higher total SGRQ and total FS scores in sarcoidosis patients than in healthy individuals (P < 0.01 for all differences).

Sarcoidosis significantly reduces patients' health status, both independently and also due to increased BMI. Reduction in BMI may contribute to improved spirometry results and health status of patients with sarcoidosis.