The Relationship Between Insulin Resistance and Pulmonary Functions in Morbidly Obese Patients

Background: Insulin resistance (IR) caused by obesity-related inflammation was previously reported to be a risk factor for impaired pulmonary functions. Most studies addressed asthma or asthma-like symptoms, whereas very few addressed objective measures. We aimed to investigate the association between IR and pulmonary functions by evaluating FEV1, FVC, and FEV1/FVC in morbidly obese patients. Materials and Methods: Preanesthetic evaluation records of patients who underwent bariatric surgery were obtained. The presence of IR and metabolic syndrome (MetS) was analyzed for their correlations with the number of patients with FEV1, FVC, and FEV1/FVC measures lower than lower limit of normal (LLN). FEV1, FVC, and FEV1/FVC were analyzed as continuous variables for correlations with homeostasis model assessment of IR (HOMA-IR), body mass index (BMI), and fasting insulin. Results: There was no association between IR and FEV1, FVC, or FEV1/FVC. BMI, HOMA-IR scores, and fasting insulin levels were not correlated with FEV1/FVC. The number of patients whose FEV1, FVC, and FEV1/FVC were