Lung function impairment in women aged over 40 years: The critical role of abdominal obesity

SummaryIt is known that obesity causes to impairment of pulmonary functions. This impairment worsens with aging.There are studies about obesity showing that the uses of abdominal measurements instead of BMI are more accurate.PurposeThe aim of our study is to investigate the correlation of waist circumference in the women aged over 40 years with obesity to the respiratory function tests and chest expansion.Materials and methodsIn our study, BMI, waist circumference and chest expansion of 64 women over 40-year old were measured and the values obtained were compared with the results of respiratory function tests.ResultsThere was a positive correlation between the age of the patients with waist circumference and DLCO/VA. A negative correlation was found between the age and MVV. The weight increase was associated with an increase in waist circumference and DLCO/VA. It was observed that waist circumference and DLCO/VA were increased and chest expansion was decreased when BMI was increased.A positive correlation was determined between MVV and the other respiratory function parameters, FEV1, FVC, FEV1/FVC and FIVC (p < 0.01). Similarly, the increase in DLCO was found to be correlated with the values of FEV1, FVC and FIVC. FIVC was correlated only with FEV1 and FVC.ConclusionIn this study, it was observed that respiratory function tests of women over 40-year old with obesity were associated with anthropometric measurements. But, studies with larger sample sizes and prospective studies are needed to provide more accurate information about the importance of DLCO/VA for the assessment of pulmonary function in obese women.