Relationship between dynamic hyperinflation and lung function in adults with obesity: a cross-sectional study

<bold>Introduction:</bold> Obesity imposes heightened ventilatory demand, evident even during daily activities. <bold>Objectives:</bold> We aimed to evaluate dynamic hyperinflation (DH) during the Glittre-ADL test (TGlittre) in individuals with obesity, correlating with lung mechanics and quality of life (QoL). Our hypothesis was that DH would be prevalent in individuals with obesity and would negatively impact their lung function and QoL. <bold>Methods:</bold> A cross-sectional study involving 64 adults with obesity who underwent TGlittre and Spiropalm® assessments, along with spirometry, impulse oscillometry, and SF-36 QoL evaluation. <bold>Results:</bold> Among participants in the TGlittre group, 22 individuals exhibited DH (DH group), while 42 did not (NDH group). The DH group had higher body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, and hip circumference compared to the NDH group. Interestingly, the median TGlittre time did not differ significantly between the DH and NDH groups (5.1 (4.2–5.9) vs. 4.8 (4.2–5.6) min, p = 0.49). Additionally, TGlittre time showed significant correlations with weight, BMI, waist circumference, waist-to-hip ratio, neck circumference, and certain domains of the SF-36 questionnaire. Moreover, changes in inspiratory capacity were significantly correlated with waist circumference, hip circumference, neck circumference, resonance frequency, and various domains of the SF-36 questionnaire. <bold>Conclusions:</bold> Our findings demonstrate compromised TGlittre performance in obese individuals, with DH being prevalent in those with elevated anthropometric indices and impaired lung mechanics. This suggests a significant impact on lung mechanics and QoL in this population.