title: Asthma-like symptoms are increased in the metabolic syndrome.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The prevalence of obesity and asthma has been increasing during the last several decades. Obesity has been reported to be associated with asthma. Obesity, especially abdominal obesity, is the main component of the metabolic syndrome.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We thus hypothesized that metabolic syndrome is an important contributing factor for the development of asthma-like symptoms.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Korean Health and Genome Study started in 2001 as an ongoing population-based study of Korean adults 40 to 69 years of age. The prevalence of asthma-like symptoms in the previous 12 months was obtained by a questionnaire, and spirometric testing was conducted.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among the 10,038 participants, the data from 9,942 individuals (4,716 men and 5,226 women) was available. Asthma-like symptoms (wheeze [p = 0.0006], resting dyspnea [p = 0.0062], and post-exercise dyspnea [p < 0.0001]) were increased in the subjects of the metabolic syndrome group. Subjects with asthma-like symptoms had a decreased lung function compared to subjects without asthma-like symptoms. Among the components of the metabolic syndrome, abdominal obesity and hypertension were the risk factors for asthma-like symptoms.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Metabolic syndrome is associated with asthma-like symptoms. Among the components of metabolic syndrome, abdominal obesity and hypertension are the risk factors for asthma-like symptoms.
authors.affiliation: Division of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Eun Joo
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Kwang Ho
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: In
authors.forename: Eun Sil
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Ha
authors.forename: Kyung Ju
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Gyu Young
authors.initials: GY
authors.lastname: Hur
authors.forename: Eun Hae
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: Ki Hwan
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.forename: Sung Yong
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Je Hyeong
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Sang Yeub
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Chol
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.forename: Jae Jeong
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Shim
authors.forename: Kyung Ho
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: Se Hwa
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Yoo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D001249:Asthma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007723:Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D016017:Odds Ratio; D015995:Prevalence; D011336:Probability; D011379:Prognosis; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D017678:Sex Distribution; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires