Asthma-like symptoms are increased in the metabolic syndrome.
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.
Lee
Eun Joo
EJ
Division of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
In
Kwang Ho
KH
Ha
Eun Sil
ES
Lee
Kyung Ju
KJ
Hur
Gyu Young
GY
Kang
Eun Hae
EH
Jung
Ki Hwan
KH
Lee
Sung Yong
SY
Kim
Je Hyeong
JH
Lee
Sang Yeub
SY
Shin
Chol
C
Shim
Jae Jeong
JJ
Kang
Kyung Ho
KH
Yoo
Se Hwa
SH
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