Gender aspects, overnutrition, and air pollution in relation to asthma severity in adolescents

Abstract

Abstract The prevalence of obesity in asthmatic patient has increased, and associated with worse asthma severity and quality of life. This study investigates the effect of gender and overnutrition on asthma severity. Observational study on 41 overnutrition (overweight and obese), and 41 normweight asthmatic adolescents in two primary high schools. Diagnosis and asthma severity based on GINA, ISAAC and Indonesian Paediatrician Association (IDAI). The BMI was converted to z score from WHO, and lung function was measured by spirometer. The statistical analysis was performed with the software SPSS v.20. The mean BMI in female was higher than male. The mean FEV1; FVC; FEV1/FVC in female was lower than male. The mean FEV1; FVC; FEV1/FVC in overnutrition was lower than normweight. Based on asthma severity: 39% intermittent, 39% mild persistent, 17% moderate persistent, and 5% severe persistent. As many as 77% of 47 females had persistent, of 41 overnutrition asthmatic adolescents 85% had persistent asthma. There are an impact of gender and overnutrition on asthma severity (OR:4.4; 95%CI:1.7-11.3; p=0.002 and OR:9.1; 95%CI:3.1-26.5; p<0.001). Among asthmatic adolescents the risk for persistent asthma was greater in females with overnutrition compare to males.