Lung function in the absence of respiratory symptoms in overweight children and adolescents.
OBJECTIVE
To describe lung function findings in overweight children and adolescents without respiratory disease.


METHODS
This was a cross-sectional study involving male and female overweight children and adolescents in the 8-18 year age bracket, without respiratory disease. All of the participants underwent anthropometric assessment, chest X-ray, pulse oximetry, spirometry, and lung volume measurements. Individuals with respiratory disease were excluded, as were those who were smokers, those with abnormal chest X-rays, and those with an SpO2 = 92%. Waist circumference was measured in centimeters. The body mass index-for-age Z score for boys and girls was used in order to classify the individuals as overweight, obese, or severely obese. Lung function variables were expressed in percentage of the predicted value and were correlated with the anthropometric indices.


RESULTS
We included 59 individuals (30 males and 29 females). The mean age was 11.7 ± 2.7 years. Lung function was normal in 21 individuals (35.6%). Of the 38 remaining individuals, 19 (32.2%), 15 (25.4%), and 4 (6.7%) presented with obstructive, restrictive, and mixed ventilatory disorder, respectively. The bronchodilator response was positive in 15 individuals (25.4%), and TLC measurements revealed that all of the individuals with reduced VC had restrictive ventilatory disorder. There were significant negative correlations between the anthropometric indices and the Tiffeneau index in the individuals with mixed ventilatory disorder.


CONCLUSIONS
Lung function was abnormal in approximately 65% of the individuals evaluated here, all of whom were overweight. Obstructive ventilatory disorder and positive bronchodilator response predominated.
Professor Edgard Santos University Hospital, School of Medicine, Federal University of Bahia, Salvador, Brazil.
Silvana Neves Ferraz de
SN
Assunção
Professor Edgard Santos University Hospital, School of Medicine, Federal University of Bahia, Salvador, Brazil.
Carla Hilário da Cunha
CH
Daltro
Professor Edgard Santos University Hospital, School of Medicine, Federal University of Bahia, Salvador, Brazil.
Ney Christian
NC
Boa Sorte
Professor Edgard Santos University Hospital, School of Medicine, Federal University of Bahia, Salvador, Brazil.
Hugo da Costa
Hda C
Ribeiro Júnior
Professor Edgard Santos University Hospital, School of Medicine, Federal University of Bahia, Salvador, Brazil.
Maria de Lourdes
Mde L
Bastos
Professor Edgard Santos University Hospital, School of Medicine, Federal University of Bahia, Salvador, Brazil.
Cleriston Farias
CF
Queiroz
Professor Edgard Santos University Hospital, School of Medicine, Federal University of Bahia, Salvador, Brazil.
Antônio Carlos Moreira
AC
Lemos
D000293:Adolescent; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D050177:Overweight / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012123:Pulmonary Ventilation / Q000502:physiology*; D012120:Respiration Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D055105:Waist Circumference