Ramaraju Karthikeyan, Krishnamurthy Srikanth, Maamidi Smrithi, Kaza Anupama Murthy, Balasubramaniam Nithilavalli
Department of Respiratory Medicine, PSG Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India.
Lung India. 2013 Oct;30(4):295-301. doi: 10.4103/0970-2113.120604.
Proinflammatory role of serum cholesterol in asthma has been recently explored with contradicting results. Clarity on the link between serum cholesterol and asthma may lead to new evolutions in planning management strategies. The objective of our study was to examine the relationship between the serum cholesterol, asthma and its characteristics.
A total of 40 asthmatics and 40 normal subjects were examined cross-sectionally and their serum fasting cholesterol and serum high sensitivity C reactive protein (hsCRP) levels were measured along with other baseline investigations. All subjects were non-smokers.
Serum total cholesterol (mean ± SD) among asthmatics was 176.45 ± 30.77 mgs/dL as compared to 163.33 ± 26.38 mgs/dL among normal subjects (P < 0.05). This higher serum cholesterol level was found to be associated with asthma independent of age, gender, body mass index (BMI), socio-economic status and serum hsCRP levels. However, the association was only modest (adjusted odds ratio 1.033; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.008-1.059). There was no association between the serum cholesterol and asthma characteristics such as duration of illness, intake of inhaled steroids and frequency of emergency department visits. Other risk factors identified were poor ventilation (adjusted odds ratio 9.27; 95%CI 1.83-46.99) and overcrowding (adjusted odds ratio 41.9; 95% CI 3.15-557.46) at home.
Our study found a modest but significant association between higher levels of serum cholesterol and asthma, which is independent of age, gender, BMI, socio-economic status and serum hsCRP. Future research is required in a larger population to substantiate above association and its clinical implications. Poor ventilation and overcrowding at home are risk factors for asthma possibly facilitating increased exposure to indoor allergens.
血清胆固醇在哮喘中的促炎作用最近已被探讨，但结果相互矛盾。血清胆固醇与哮喘之间联系的明确性可能会导致规划管理策略的新进展。我们研究的目的是检查血清胆固醇、哮喘及其特征之间的关系。
对40名哮喘患者和40名正常受试者进行横断面检查，并测量他们的血清空腹胆固醇和血清高敏C反应蛋白（hsCRP）水平以及其他基线检查。所有受试者均不吸烟。
哮喘患者的血清总胆固醇（平均值±标准差）为176.45±30.77mg/dL，而正常受试者为163.33±26.38mg/dL（P<0.05）。发现这种较高的血清胆固醇水平与哮喘相关，且独立于年龄、性别、体重指数（BMI）、社会经济地位和血清hsCRP水平。然而，这种关联仅为中等程度（调整后的优势比为1.033；95%置信区间[CI]为1.008 - 1.059）。血清胆固醇与哮喘特征如病程、吸入性类固醇的使用和急诊科就诊频率之间没有关联。确定的其他危险因素是家中通风不良（调整后的优势比为9.27；95%CI为1.83 - 46.99）和过度拥挤（调整后的优势比为41.9；95%CI为3.15 - 557.46）。
我们的研究发现血清胆固醇水平升高与哮喘之间存在中等程度但显著的关联，且独立于年龄、性别、BMI、社会经济地位和血清hsCRP。需要在更大规模的人群中进行进一步研究以证实上述关联及其临床意义。家中通风不良和过度拥挤是哮喘的危险因素，可能会增加接触室内过敏原的机会。
