Obesity and Poor Asthma Control in Patients with Severe Asthma

Background. Asthma is a public health problem as it leads to hospitalization and eventual death, particularly in its severe forms. Many studies have demonstrated an association between obesity and asthma. Objective. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between obesity and asthma control in a group of patients at a reference center for severe asthma in Brazil. Methods. This cross-sectional study was conducted in the outpatient central reference clinic of the Program for Control of Asthma in the State of Bahia. It included 508 subjects with severe asthma of both genders and above 18 years of age. All the participants answered a sociodemographic and a clinical questionnaire to collect information on their asthma and comorbidities, such as rhinitis and gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD). Participants also completed the Asthma Control Questionnaire, performed a spirometry test, and had their weight, height, and waist and hip circumferences registered. Results. Logistic regression anal...