Inhaled Corticosteroids and Risk of Obesity in Asthma

Researchers explored potential associations between inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) and long-term obesity and other markers of metabolic syndrome markers in patients with asthma. Based on their data, they concluded that ICS use in patients with asthma was associated with a dose-dependent risk of rising body mass index (BMI) over time and increased necessity of antidiabetic and cholesterol-lowering medication use. The findings were published in Allergy and Asthma Proceedings.

This five-year retrospective study enrolled 215 subjects with asthma on ICS, as well as 229 patients with asthma not on ICS as controls. ICS doses were categorized as low (n=88), medium (n=107), and high (n=20). Researchers compared characteristics including BMI trajectory and antihypertensive, antidiabetic, and cholesterol-lowering medication prescriptions.

Long-Term Side Effects of Inhaled Corticosteroids in Asthma

According to the report, the BMI in the high-dose ICS patients increased at a rate of 0.25 kh/m² per year compared to subjects in the control group after age and gender adjustments. Similarly, ICS patients also exhibited an increase of 0.06 kg/m² for every one-year increase in time compared to controls. In addition, the subjects on ICS also had an increased risk of receiving prescriptions for antihypertensive, antidiabetic, and cholesterol-lowering medications.

In short, the authors felt that their data supported an association between ICS use and increasing BMI, as well as additional medication requirements, in patients with asthma. “Trajectory and antihypertensive, antidiabetic, and cholesterol-lowering medication prescriptions,” they summarized.

View More Related Research on DocWire News’ Asthma Resource Center