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Characterization of the immune inflammatory profile in obese asthmatic children

Thea Magrone, Maria Simone, Maria Altamura

  • 1Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Neuroscience and Sensory Organ, University of Bari, Piazza G. Cesare 11, 70124, Bari Italy. thea.magrone@gmail.com.

Endocrine, Metabolic & Immune Disorders Drug Targets
|May 28, 2014
PubMed

Insights

Childhood asthma and obesity are linked by inflammation. Obese children with asthma show a heightened Th1 immune response, increased pro-inflammatory cytokines, and altered adipokine levels, correlating with BMI.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric immunology
  • Respiratory medicine
  • Metabolic disorders

Background:

  • Asthma and obesity are prevalent childhood conditions often co-occurring with inflammation.
  • Weight reduction in obese individuals can alleviate asthma symptoms, suggesting a biological link.
  • The interplay between asthma, obesity, and systemic inflammation in children requires further elucidation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the inflammatory status and systemic biomarkers in children with varying combinations of asthma and obesity.
  • To determine the relationship between body mass index (BMI), inflammatory markers, and adipokines in these pediatric subgroups.

Main Methods:

  • Enrollment of 80 children across four groups: non-asthmatic/non-obese, obese, asthmatic-obese, and asthmatic/non-obese.
  • Assessment of respiratory function and body mass index (BMI).
  • Measurement of serum cytokines (Th1, Th2, T regulatory) and adipokines (leptin, visfatin, adiponectin).

Main Results:

  • The co-occurrence of asthma and obesity in children is associated with a predominant Th1-type immune response and elevated pro-inflammatory cytokines.
  • Asthmatic-obese children exhibit increased serum leptin and visfatin, with diminished adiponectin levels.
  • Systemic inflammatory biomarkers show a positive correlation with increasing BMI across all studied subgroups.

Conclusions:

  • The combination of asthma and obesity in children promotes a pro-inflammatory systemic state.
  • Adipokines play a significant role in mediating the inflammatory profile observed in asthmatic-obese children.
  • BMI is a key factor influencing systemic inflammation in pediatric asthma and obesity.

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