Composição corporal, força muscular respiratória e qualidade do sono de crianças e adolescentes com asma e saudáveis

Abstract

Asthma is a chronic respiratory disease characterized by airway inflammation, which can cause dyspnea, chest tightness, and wheezing, with variable and reversible airflow limitation. Excess weight exacerbates symptoms through the action of pro-inflammatory cytokines that can reduce respiratory muscle strength (RMS). Objectives: To compare inspiratory muscle strength, body composition, and sleep quality in children and adolescents with asthma and apparently healthy individuals. Methods: A prospective cross-sectional study was conducted with participants aged 6 to 17 years, with asthma and apparently healthy individuals. Bioelectrical impedance analysis was used to characterize the sample for body composition, manovacometry for respiratory muscle strength, and a questionnaire for sleep quality. Results: Sixteen children and adolescents participated in the study, 6 with asthma and 10 apparently healthy. There were no significant differences in respiratory pressures and body composition between the groups. The group with asthma presented worse sleep quality compared to the apparently healthy group (7.6 ± 4.03 vs. 2.8 ± 1.87 and p: 0.053). Regarding correlations, in the asthma group, higher fat mass was associated with worse sleep quality (r = 0.942; p = 0.016) and lower inspiratory muscle pressure (r = -0.868; p = 0.013). In the apparently healthy group, there were no significant correlations. Conclusion: In this sample, there was no difference in respiratory muscle strength and body composition between the groups. The asthma group presented worse sleep quality, with higher scores on the sleep questionnaire. The asthma group showed strong associations between inspiratory pressure and percentage of fat, as well as with fat mass and sleep quality, with higher fat mass being associated with worse sleep quality and respiratory muscle strength in children and adolescents with asthma.