Leptin and adiponectin are valuable serum markers explaining obesity/bronchial asthma interrelationship

BackgroundAsthma in the obese represents a growing epidemic of pulmonary disease, and these patients are distinct from non obese asthmatics. Accordingly, studies on the pathogenesis of asthma in the obese are critical to guide our understanding of this disease process; such studies will ultimately guide the development of new therapies to treat the obese asthmatic population.Patients and methodsEighty (80) subjects were classified according to BMI into 4 groups: Group 1 (20 subjects): control none obese, they were apparently healthy subjects with BMI 22.9 ± 0.68 kg/m2. Group 2 (20 subjects): control obese, they were apparently healthy subjects with BMI 36.16 ± 3.15 kg/m2. Group 3 (20 patients): they were none obese asthmatic patients with BMI 22.97 ± 1.13 kg/m2. Group 4 (20 patients): they were obese asthmatic patients with BMI 34.9 ± 2.4 kg/m2.ResultsThere was a higher leptin serum level in obese control (34.81 ± 2.32 pg/ml) compared to none obese control (9.73 ± 0.78 pg/ml) (p < 0.01). Moreover, there was a higher leptin serum level in obese asthmatic patients (39.74 ± 3.26 pg/ml) compared to none obese asthmatic patients (23.58 ± 1.99  pg/ml) (P < 0.01). There was a lower adiponectin serum level in obese control (4.95 ± 1.32) than non obese control (7.74 ± 3.13) (P < 0.05) and in obese asthmatic patients (3.3 ± 1.4) than non obese asthmatic patients (5.99 ± 1.5) (P < 0.01).ConclusionThere is a strong association between asthma and obesity regarding serum level of leptin and adiponectin.