TY - JOUR T1 - Higher body mass index 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 VL - 7 IS - 1 SP - 00336-2020 AU - Sandra Rutting AU - David G. Chapman AU - Tanya Badal AU - Farid Sanai AU - Sabine C. Zimmermann AU - Cindy Thamrin AU - Gregory G. King AU - Katrina O. Tonga Y1 - 2021/01/01 UR - http://openres.ersjournals.com/content/7/1/00336-2020.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 suggests 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 forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1)/forced vital capacity (FVC) ratio [2].Higher body mass index (BMI) is associated with less severe airway obstruction in older asthma patients with fixed airflow obstruction. This is potentially mediated through BMI-related mechanisms that increase lung stiffness (i.e. reduce lung compliance). https://bit.ly/3jBwCNy ER -