https://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/ /manager/Index ${session.getAttribute("locale")} 5 https://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/ /manager/Repository/uon:23403 Wed 11 Apr 2018 15:33:10 AEST ]]> https://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/ /manager/Repository/uon:24717 50 years old; n = 45). Thirteen (36.1%) reproductive-aged females were using the OCP. Participants had induced sputum cell counts measured and blood analysed for sex hormones and inflammatory markers. Results: Obese reproductive-aged females had higher sputum %neutrophils than nonobese reproductive-aged females (45.4 ± 24.3% vs 27.5 ± 17.5%, P = 0.016); however, there was no difference in sputum neutrophils in obese compared with nonobese males (P = 0.620) or older females (P = 0.087). Multiple linear regression analysis found testosterone and OCP use to be negative predictors of sputum %neutrophils, while C-reactive protein and IL-6 were positive predictors of sputum %neutrophils. BMI and age were not significant predictors in the multivariate model. Reproductive-aged females using the OCP had significantly lower sputum %neutrophils than those not using the OCP (23.2 ± 12.6% vs 42.1 ± 23.8%, P = 0.015). Conclusions: This study suggests that sex hormones and systemic inflammation may be mediating the obese-asthma phenotype. The observation that OCP use was associated with lower sputum %neutrophils in reproductive-aged females warrants further investigation.]]> Wed 09 Mar 2022 16:03:50 AEDT ]]> https://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/ /manager/Repository/uon:33379 Mon 14 Nov 2022 17:12:48 AEDT ]]>