Obesity and asthma: A specific phenotype

Lalitha Pereirasamy
Penang Hospital, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia

Obesity and asthma are two prevalent chronic conditions that often co-exist, giving rise to a distinct clinical phenotype. This phenotype is characterised by an increased asthma severity, reduced responsiveness to standard therapies, altered inflammatory profiles and metabolic dysregulations. However, the detailed organ-organ, cellular, and molecular interactions are not completely resolved, making the relationship between obesity and asthma unclear.

The phenotype is more prevalent in adult females and poses a unique diagnostic and therapeutic challenges. Understanding the interplay between obesity and asthma is essential for developing targeted treatment strategies, improving disease control and reducing morbidity.

This lecture aims to discuss the pathophysiology, the unique interactions and current data and directions towards addressing the many facets of this specific phenotype.