Cluster analysis of obesity and asthma phenotypes.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Asthma is a heterogeneous disease with variability among patients in characteristics such as lung function, symptoms and control, body weight, markers of inflammation, and responsiveness to glucocorticoids (GC). Cluster analysis of well-characterized cohorts can advance understanding of disease subgroups in asthma and point to unsuspected disease mechanisms. We utilized an hypothesis-free cluster analytical approach to define the contribution of obesity and related variables to asthma phenotype.

Methodology and principal findings

In a cohort of clinical trial participants (n = 250), minimum-variance hierarchical clustering was used to identify clinical and inflammatory biomarkers important in determining disease cluster membership in mild and moderate persistent a

SUBMITTER: Sutherland ER 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3350517 | biostudies-literature | 2012

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature