Role of gender disparity of circulating high-sensitivity C-reactive protein concentrations and obesity on asthma in Taiwan

Role of gender disparity of circulating high-

sensitivity C-reactive protein concentrations and obesity on asthma in Taiwan

T.-N. Wang

, M.-C. Lin

, C.-C. Wu

, M.-S. Huang

, S. Y. Leung

, C.-C. Huang

, P.-S. Ho

and Y.- C. Ko

Department of Public Health, College of Health Science,

Center of Excellence for

Environmental Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan,

Department of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital-Kaohsiung Medical Center, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung, Taiwan,

Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan,

Department of Dental Hygiene, College of Dental Medicine, Kaoshiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan and

Division of Environmental Health and Occupational Medicine, National Health Research Institutes, Kaohsiung, Taiwan

Summary

Background Several studies have suggested that the association between obesity and asthma may be stronger in females than in males, but the reason is still unclear.

Objective The aim of this study was to investigate whether differences in high- sensitivity Creactive protein (hs-CRP) levels explain why obesity is associated with asthma in females but not in males. Methods This study prospectively enrolled 754 subjects X18 years old from hospital-based asthma patients and population-based controls. We measured adiposity factors [body mass index (BMI), waist circumference and waist-hip ratio], hs-CRP and total IgE levels. Results After adjusting for potential confounding factors, we found a significant association between BMI and asthma in females with a significant interaction of gender and BMI on asthma (w

=10.2, P = 0.004). If hs-CRP was added to the logistic model, the interaction was attenuated but still significant (w

= 7.02, P = 0.03). After adjusting for BMI, we did not find that circulating hs-CRP concentrations were significantly associated with asthma in males and females. Conclusion We found that BMI was associated with asthma in females, but our results do not support the suggestion that hs-CRP levels contribute

significantly to the link between obesity

and asthma with respect to gender disparity.