TY - JOUR T1 - Higher BMI is associated with increased lung stiffness and less airway obstruction in individuals with asthma and fixed airflow obstruction JF - ERJ Open Research JO - erjor DO - 10.1183/23120541.00336-2020 SP - 00336-2020 AU - S Rutting AU - DG Chapman AU - T Badal AU - F Sanai AU - SC Zimmermann AU - C Thamrin AU - GG King AU - KO Tonga Y1 - 2020/01/01 UR - http://openres.ersjournals.com/content/early/2020/10/22/23120541.00336-2020.abstract N2 - Persistent or fixed airflow obstruction (FAO) is prevalent in up to 60% of patients with severe asthma [1] and is associated with older age, more rapid decline in lung function and increased symptoms [1–3]. The underlying mechanisms of FAO in asthma are unknown, but growing evidence suggest that parenchymal changes resulting in loss of elastic recoil and decreased lung stiffness (i.e. increased lung compliance) contribute to FAO [2, 4]. In a recent study of older asthma patients with FAO, decreased lung stiffness was the sole predictor of more severe airflow obstruction, as measured by reduced FEV1/FVC ratio [2].FootnotesThis manuscript has recently been accepted for publication in the ERJ Open Research. It is published here in its accepted form prior to copyediting and typesetting by our production team. After these production processes are complete and the authors have approved the resulting proofs, the article will move to the latest issue of the ERJOR online. Please open or download the PDF to view this article.Conflict of interest: Dr. Rutting has nothing to disclose.Conflict of interest: Dr. Chapman has nothing to disclose.Conflict of interest: Dr. Badal has nothing to disclose.Conflict of interest: Dr. Sanai has nothing to disclose.Conflict of interest: S.C. Zimmermann reports nonfinancial support for travel and accommodation for educational respiratory symposia attendance from GlaxoSmithKline, Boehringer Ingelheim, Menarini, AstraZeneca and Novartis, outside the submitted work.Conflict of interest: Dr. Thamrin has nothing to disclose.Conflict of interest: G.G. King reports unrestricted research grants to support research projects, fees for consultancy services (which include lectures and advisory board services) and conference attendance support from AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim, GlaxoSmithKline, Novartis, Menarini and MundiPharma, and research grants from the National Health & Medical Research Council, professional societies, The University of Sydney, and philanthropic individuals and societies, outside the submitted work.Conflict of interest: Dr. Tonga has nothing to disclose. ER -