Sex, girth, waists and hips (what matters for gas exchange in extreme obesity?).
What matters for gas exchange (arterial blood-gas status) in the obese? The empirical literature to date suggests that sex matters, with women exhibiting better gas exchange (higher arterial oxygen pressure and lower alveolar-to-arterial oxygen pressure difference) than men. Our findings suggest that women are not better at gas exchange than men because they are women per se. Rather women exhibit better gas exchange than men because they have smaller waists relative to their hips. The findings also imply that all fat mass is not created equal with respect to gas exchange.
Zavorsky
Gerald S
GS
Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Women's Health, School of Medicine, Saint Louis University, Saint Mary's Health Center, Saint Louis, MO 63117, USA. zavorsky@slu.edu
Wilson
Bonnie
B
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006615:Hip; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015233:Models, Statistical; D009767:Obesity, Morbid / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011659:Pulmonary Gas Exchange / Q000502:physiology*; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D055105:Waist Circumference