This thesis consists of three parts. Part A describes in chapter 2 the complex diagnosis of asthma in the morbidly obese, and especially focuses on underdiagnosis and overdiagnosis of asthma in this patient group. Part B investigates bronchial and systemic inflammation. It starts in chapter 3 with a review on the association between obesity and asthma, where the metabolic syndrome __ as state of systemic inflammation - is mentioned as possible explanation for the association between obesity and asthma. In chapter 4 systemic inflammation and the metabolic syndrome and impaired lung function in morbidly obese subjects are discussed. This is followed by chapter 5, in which the presence and possible relationship between bronchial and systemic inflammation in morbidly obese asthma subjects are discussed. Part C focuses on bariatric surgery, first pulmonary function testing and complications of bariatric surgery are discussed in chapter 6. In chapter 7 the effect of bariatric surgery on asthma is described. And finally, in chapter 8, a summary and general discussion of these studies is presented.UBL - phd migration 201
