Blood neutrophils correlate with obesity in asmatic patients

<b>Introduction:</b> Previous studies showed that obese patients with asthma have increased neutrophils in the sputum and there is rising evidence that neutrophils may be dominant inflammatory cells in certain asthma phenotypes. Increased systemic inflammation could be a connection between asthma and obesity, and circulating blood neutrophils may play an important role in both conditions. <b>Aims and Objectives:</b> The aim of this study was to find out whether neutrophil blood count correlates with BMI, lung function and FeNO values in patients with asthma. <b>Methods:</b> Study included 149 patients with asthma, who were treated in Clinic for lung disease Jordanovac, University Hospital Centre Zagreb. BMI was calculated using standard formula and absolute neutrophil blood count ( N/L) was obtained from the complete blood count. Spirometry was performed in order to obtain values of lung function markers: forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1), Forced Vital Capacity (FVC) and FEV1/FVC ratio. FeNO values were determined. <b>Results:</b> There were more women than men in the examined group (61.17 % vs 38,3%) and the median BMI was 26,6 kg/ m2. Absolute neutrophil count did not show corellation with any of the parameters of lung function or FeNO. However, there was a strong and statistically significant correlation of this count with BMI value (P=0,007). <b>Conclusion:</b> Results showed that high levels of blood neutrophils correlate with higher BMI, but not with lung function or FeNO values of patients with astma treated in our clinic. This study showes that neutrophils in blood could be an interesting biomarker for overweightness and obesity, but not for the severity of disease, in patients with asthma.