OBESITY PHENOTYPE INFLUENCES TREND IN PULMONARY FUNCTION INDICES RECOVERY FOLLOWING ABDOMINAL SURGERY: PRELIMINARY REPORT FROM A NIGERIAN POPULATION.

Abstract

Background: Obesity phenotypes are known to have varying effects on pulmonary function but their effects on trends of pulmonary function indices' recovery among abdominal surgery patients is unclear.

Objective: To investigate the influence of obesity phenotype on pulmonary function trend among abdominal surgery patients.

Methods: An observational study involving 28 female patients aged 20-60 years who were never-smokers. Participants were classified into four groups namely: healthy BMI without abdominal obesity; healthy BMI with abdominal obesity; overweight/obese without abdominal obesity; and overweight/obese with abdominal obesity. Pulmonary function indices (FEV₁, FVC and PEF) were taken day-1 pre-op; 5^th, 6^th and 7^th day post-surgery. Data were summarized using mean and standard deviation, while Kruskal-Wallis and Jonckheere trend test were used to test for differences and trend across the groups at p < 0.05.

Results: Participants were comparable in age and height. Pre-op, group IV had the lowest pulmonary function indices and group I had the highest FEV₁, FVC. At 7-day post-op, there was significant difference in pulmonary function indices across the groups, while trend test showed that obesity pattern had significant effect on the trend of FEV₁, FVC and PER with group I having the highest values, followed by group III and group II, while group IV had the lowest values.

Conclusion: Obesity phenotype had significant effect on trend of pulmonary function indices among participants. Patients with abdominal obesity, irrespective of BMI, had poor pulmonary function.