Visceral Fat is More Related to Impairment of Lung Function and Mechanics and Pulmonary Immune Response in Overweight and Grade I Obese Women

Abstract

Beyond the common comorbidities related to obesity, such as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases, impaired lung function is already known, but, whether the fat distribution (sub-cutaneous, abdominal, visceral) affects the lung function and pulmonary immune response are poorly known. Visceral fat is associated with insulin resistance and low-grade inflammation and reduced lung function. In the present study, the body composition and fat distribution was evaluated by multi-frequency octopolar bioimpedance. So, this study demonstrated a correlation of increased visceral fat with impaired lung function in obesity grade I (n=28; 45.46±10.38 years old) women, which has not been observed in eutrophic (n=20; 43.20±10.78 years old) and in overweight (n=30; 47.27±10.25 years old) women. Also, we identified a negative correlation in FVC% (R2=0.9129; p<0.0236), FEV1% (R2=0.1079; p<0.0134), PEF% (R2=0.1673; p<0.0018) and VC IN% (R2=0.1330; p<0.0057) in the grade I obesity group, clearly demonstrating that higher levels of visceral fat correlate with reduced lung function, but not with sub-cutaneous or abdominal fat. In addition, it was observed for the first time a negative correlation among anti-fibrotic protein Klotho (R2=0.09298; p<0.0897) and anti-inflammatory IL-10 (R2=0.1653; p<0.0487) in plasma, so, contrarily to increased visceral fat. On contrary, in breath condensate, a positive correlation for Adiponectin (R2=0.5665; p<0.0120), IL1-Ra (R2=0.2121; p<0.0544) and IL1-Beta (R2=0.3270; p<0.0084) was found. Thus, increased visceral fat directly influences impairment of lung function and of systemic and pulmonary immune response of obese women