Study on the Prevalence of Non-respiratory Comorbidities in Asthma Patients: A Nationwide Cohort Study

Background: Asthma is a chronic inflammatory airway disease associated with systemic inflammation and increased prevalence of various comorbid conditions.This study investigates the prevalence of non-respiratory comorbidities among adult asthma patients in South Korea, aiming to elucidate potential correlations and impacts of asthma on overall health, thereby affecting patients' quality of life and healthcare systems.Methods: This retrospective cohort study utilized the National Health Insurance Service data (HIRA-NPS-2020) and included adults diagnosed with asthma.Non-respiratory diseases were identified using the Korean Standard Disease Classification (KCD-8) codes, with exclusions applied for other respiratory conditions.The prevalence of comorbidities was analyzed and compared between asthma and non-asthma patients, adjusting for confounders such as age, gender, and insurance status through inverse probability treatment weighting (IPTW).Results: The analysis revealed that asthma patients exhibit significantly higher rates of cardiovascular diseases, metabolic disorders, gastrointestinal conditions, and mental health issues compared to the control group.Notably, conditions such as heart failure, gastroesophageal reflux disease, and anxiety were more prevalent, with odds ratios (OR) ranging from 1.18 to 3.90.These results demonstrate a substantial burden of comorbidities associated with asthma, indicating a broad impact on health beyond the respiratory system.Conclusion: The findings highlight the systemic nature of asthma and the interconnectedness of inflammatory processes across different organ systems.This comprehensive analysis confirms previous research linking asthma with an increased risk of various non-respiratory diseases, providing insights into the multifaceted impact of asthma on patient health.