Association of obesity in adults with allergic asthma

BACKGROUND: Obesity and asthma are diseases of high prevalence around the world. The increment in their incidence constitutes a challenge to public health. Asthma can be worse in patients with obesity. OBJECTIVE: To know the prevalence of obesity in a group of Mexican allergic asthmatic adults. METHODS: A study about the prevalence of obesity in 158 adult asthmatic allergic patients in the years 2010 and 2011 was performed, according to the body mass index (BMI) obtained from their clinical files. In addition, skin tests with allergens were done and the total serum level of IgE was determined in each one of the individuals. RESULTS: According to the BMI, 112 (70.9%) patients had a weight above normal; 76 (67.9%) were women and 36 (32.1%) were men. The highest number of patients with weight above normal corresponded to the overweight group. Mild persistent asthma presented in two-thirds of the patients with overweight and obesity. Women with overweight and obesity showed a higher severity of asthma than men. Women had more positive skin tests than men. Half of the patients had IgE levels above normal. CONCLUSIONS: We found an increased prevalence of asthmatic adults with associated obesity. Asthmatic women presented more overweight and obesity than men, as well as increased severity of asthma and more positive skin tests with allergens.