Obesity, asthma prevalence and IL‐4: Roles of inflammatory cytokines, adiponectin and neuropeptide Y

• Published in: Pediatric allergy and immunology 2015-09, Vol.26 (6), p.530-536
• Main Authors: Lu, Yanxia, Van Bever, Hugo P. S., Lim, Tow Keang, Kuan, Win Sen, Goh, Daniel Yam Thiam, Mahadevan, Malcolm, Sim, Tiong Beng, Ho, Roger, Larbi, Anis, Ng, Tze Pin
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: adiponectin; Adiponectin - blood; adiposity; Adult; Asthma; Asthma - blood; Asthma - diagnosis; Asthma - epidemiology; asthma control; Biomarkers - blood; Body Mass Index; Case-Control Studies; Chi-Square Distribution; Cross-Sectional Studies; Cytokines; Female; Humans; inflammation; Inflammation Mediators - blood; Interleukin-4 - blood; Linear Models; Logistic Models; Longitudinal Studies; Male; neuropeptide Y; Neuropeptide Y - blood; Obesity; Obesity - blood; Obesity - diagnosis; Obesity - epidemiology; Pediatrics; Peptides; Prevalence; Risk Factors; Singapore - epidemiology; Time Factors; Young Adult
• ISSN: 0905-6157; 1399-3038
• DOI: 10.1111/pai.12428

Background Obesity is associated with asthma risk and severity, but the underlying biological mechanisms are poorly understood. We hypothesized that cytokine markers of systemic inflammation, and adiponectin and neuropeptide Y (NPY) markers of immuno‐modulating and neurohormonal regulation are involved in the obesity–asthma association. Methods We explored the relationships between body mass index (BMI), C‐reactive protein (CRP), IL‐6, TNF‐α, adiponectin and NPY with asthma prevalence and IL‐4 levels in 70 youth with asthma and 69 age‐ and gender‐matched healthy controls using cross‐sectional and longitudinal data. Results Mean BMI level was higher among patients with asthma than healthy controls (p