Figure 4.

Sex-stratified baseline paraspinous muscle density (PSMD) and lung function decline by tertile of PSMD. The sex-stratified model of tertiles of baseline mean PSMD predicting longitudinal FEV₁% predicted slope from mixed-effects models is illustrated. (A) Unadjusted (model 1). (B) Adjusted for asthma clinical variables (age, eosinophils, oral corticosteroid use, and exacerbations; model 4). (C) Also adjusted for BMI (model 5). This shows the trend for change in FEV₁% predicted in the SARP (Severe Asthma Research Program) III cohort over the 5-year period of observation according to baseline computed tomography PSMD. Only women showed a significant loss in lung function with lower PSMD. BMI = body mass index; HU = Hounsfield units.