Pediatric Pulmonology 47:8–17 (2012) Interdisciplinary Therapy Improves Biomarkers Profile and Lung Function in Asthmatic Obese Adolescents Patrı ´cia Lea ˜o da Silva, MSc, 1 * Marco Tu ´ lio de Mello, PhD, 2 Nadia Carla Cheik, PhD, 3 Priscila Lima Sanches, MSc, 1 Fabı ´ola Alvise Correia, MSc, 1 Aline de Piano, MSc, 1 Fla ´ via Campos Corgosinho, MSc, 1 Raquel Munhoz da Silveira Campos, MSc, 1 Claudia M.O. do Nascimento, PhD, 4 Lila M. Oyama, PhD, 4 Lian Tock, PhD, 1 Se ´ rgio Tufik, PhD, 2 and Ana R. Da ˆ maso, PhD 1,5,6 * Summary. Background: The simultaneous rise in the prevalence of asthma and obesity in the world, have demonstrated the importance of the development of treatment strategies. The pur- pose of this study was to evaluate the short- and long-term results of interdisciplinary therapy on inflammatory biomarkers and lung function in asthmatics obese adolescents. Methods: Sev- enty-six post-pubertal obese adolescents were recruited, including 50 non-asthmatics [body mass index (BMI), 36 Æ 5 kg/m 2 ) and 26 asthmatics (BMI, 39 Æ 4 kg/m 2 ). Body composition was measured by plethysmography, and visceral fat was analyzed by ultrasound. Serum levels of adiponectin, leptin, and C-reactive protein (CRP) were analyzed. Asthma and lung function were evaluated according to the American Thoracic Society criteria. Patients were submitted to 1-year weight loss interdisciplinary intervention consisting of medical, nutritional, exercise, and psychological therapy. Results: After interdisciplinary intervention, the lung function and pro/anti-inflammatory adipokines improved significantly in both groups. Most importantly, there was an increase in adiponectin [4 (1.86–12.9) to 5.1 (2.48–16)], a reduction in CRP [2,073 (385–9,174) to 1,538 (205–7,083)] and leptin concentrations [59 (29–69) to 33 (9–49)] in the asthmatics patients. Furthermore, it was observed a reduction in asthma severity after treatment. In addition, D adiponectin was an independent factor to improve lung function after therapy in both groups. Conclusions: Interdisciplinary therapy resulted in beneficial changes in inflammatory biomarkers profile and lung function in asthmatic and non-asthmatic obese adolescents. Additionally, for the first time we showed that change in adiponectin level was an independent predictor to improve lung function in Brazilian obese adolescents. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2012; 47:8–17. ß 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Key words: obesity; asthma; adipokine; adolescence; therapy. Funding source: AFIP, CNPq, CAPES, FAPESP, Numbers: 2008/53069-0, 2006/00684-3, 98/14303-3, CENESP, FADA, FAPESP (CEPID/Sleep No. 98/14303-3), UNIFESP. 1 Post Graduate Program of Nutrition, Universidade Federal de Sa ˜o Paulo, Sa ˜o Paulo, Brazil. 2 Department of Psychobiology, Universidade Federal de Sa ˜o Paulo, Sa ˜o Paulo, Brazil. 3 Federal University of Uberla ˆndia, Uberla ˆndia, Brazil. 4 Department of Physiology, Universidade Federal de Sa ˜o Paulo, Sa ˜o Paulo, Brazil. 5 Department of Biosciences, Universidade Federal de Sa ˜o Paulo, Sa ˜o Paulo, Brazil. 6 Post Graduate Program of Interdisciplinary Health Sciences, Universi- dade Federal de Sa ˜o Paulo, Sa ˜o Paulo, Brazil. Contributors: Silva PL, Sanchez PL, Correia FA, de Piano A, Da ˆmaso AR, Cheik NC, and Tock L had primary responsibility for protocol devel- opment, patient screening and enrollment, outcome assessment, prelimi- nary data analysis, and writing the article. Oller do Nascimento CM, Oyama LM, de Mello MT, Corgosinho FC, Campos RMS, and Tufik S participated in the analytical framework for the study and contributed to the writing of the article. Silva PL, Da ˆmaso AR, and Cheik NC super- vised the design and execution of the study, performed the final data analyses and contributed to the writing of the article. Statement of competing interests: All authors declare that the answer to the questions on your competing interest form are all No and therefore have nothing to declare. Ethical approval: Project approval was obtained from Human Research Ethics Committee of Universidade Federal de Sa ˜o Paulo—UNIFESP (0135/04). *Correspondence to: Patrı ´cia Lea ˜o da Silva, MSc and Ana R. Da ˆmaso, PhD, CEPE/GEO, Rua Marselhesa, 535—Vila Clementino, Sa ˜o Paulo/SP 04020-060, Brazil. E-mail: patricia.leao@cepebr.org; ana.damaso@unifesp.br Received 14 February 2011; Accepted 25 May 2011. DOI 10.1002/ppul.21502 Published online 24 August 2011 in Wiley Online Library (wileyonlinelibrary.com). ß 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.