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Objective There is a high prevalence of obesity in people with asthma, and obesity is associated with poorly controlled asthma. Significant weight loss might improve asthma control: the purpose of this study was to investigate patient characteristics and factors that might affect implementation of a weight loss and/or roflumilast intervention, to target both obesity and asthma. Methods A cross‐sectional study of people with obesity and poorly controlled asthma performed at 13 sites across the United States. Results One hundred and two people participated in this study. Median BMI was 37 (IQR 35–42). The majority, 55%, were African American and 76% were female. Fifty two percent had very poorly controlled asthma. Most participants were quite sedentary (70% reported being inactive or participating only in light‐intensity activities according to the Stanford Brief Activity Survey). Participants reported significant impairments related to physical function on the Impact of Weight on Quality of Life‐Lite questionnaire (median score 67 [IQR 41–84]). Thirty‐five percent of participants reported mild, and 2 % moderate, depressive symptoms as assessed by the Patient Health Questionnaire‐9. Conclusions Poorly controlled asthma and obesity often affect minority populations and are associated with significant impairments in health related to physical function and low levels of physical activity that might complicate efforts to lose weight. Interventions targeted at poorly controlled asthma associated with obesity in the United States need to address factors complicating health in underserved communities, such as increasing opportunities for physical activity, while also managing activity limitations related to the combination of asthma and obesity.

Objectives The relationship between marijuana use and markers of chronic lung disease in people living with HIV (PLWH) is poorly understood. Methods We performed a cross-sectional analysis of the Examinations of HIV-Associated Lung Emphysema (EXHALE) study, including 162 HIV-positive patients and 138 participants without HIV. We modelled marijuana exposure as: (i) current daily or weekly marijuana smoking vs. monthly or less often; or (ii) cumulative marijuana smoking (joint-years). Linear and logistic regression estimated associations between marijuana exposure and markers of lung disease, adjusted for tobacco smoking and other factors. Results In PLWH, current daily or weekly marijuana use was associated with a larger forced vital capacity (FVC), larger total lung capacity and increased odds of radiographic emphysema compared with marijuana non-smokers in adjusted models; these associations were not statistically significant in participants without HIV. Marijuana joint-years were associated with higher forced expiratory volume in 1 s and FVC in PLWH but not with emphysema. Conclusions In PLWH, marijuana smoking was associated with higher lung volumes and potentially with radiographic emphysema. No consistently negative associations were observed between marijuana and measures of chronic lung health.

BACKGROUND Patients admitted for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) commonly continue to smoke. The utilization and effectiveness of tobacco cessation medications after discharge is largely unknown. We sought to examine whether pharmacologic treatment of tobacco use following admission for COPD was associated with smoking cessation at 6 to 12 months. METHODS Multivariable logistic regression analysis of a cohort of 1334 smokers, discharged from hospital with a COPD exacerbation between 2005 and 2012, identified administratively within the Veterans Affairs Veterans Integrated Service Network-20, adjusted for variables chosen a priori. Our primary exposure was treatment with any 1 or combination of smoking cessation medications within 90 days of discharge determined from pharmacy records, with the outcome of smoking cessation at 6 to 12 months after discharge. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS Four hundred fifty (33.7%) of the patients were dispensed a smoking cessation medication, with 53.4% receiving a nicotine patch alone. Overall, 19.8% of patients reported quitting smoking at 6 to 12 months. Compared to those not receiving medications, the odds of quitting were not greater among patients dispensed any single or combination of smoking cessation medications within 90 days of discharge (odds ratio [OR]: 0.88, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.74-1.04). Among patients treated with medications compared to nicotine patch alone, varenicline (OR: 2.44, 95% CI: 1.48-4.05) was associated with increased odds of cessation, and short-acting nicotine replacement therapy alone (OR: 0.66, 95% CI: 0.51-0.85) was associated with decreased odds of cessation. CONCLUSIONS Treatment was provided to a minority of subjects and was not associated with cessation, with potential differences observed in effectiveness between medications. Systems-based changes may improve delivery of this key intervention. Journal of Hospital Medicine 2016;11:257–263. © 2015 Society of Hospital Medicine