Moderate to Persistent Asthma in the Obese Subject

Inclusion Criteria: * moderate persistent asthma as defined daily symptoms, nocturnal awakenings \>1 time/week but not daily, daily short-acting beta agonist usage * pre-bronchodilator Force expiratory volume (FEV1)\>55% but \<90%. * Subjects must be on controller therapy for asthma with ICS for at least one month prior to enrollment. * methacholine testing that causes a drop in the FEV1 of 20% (8mg/ml off ICS or 16mg/ml) on ICS within 6 months prior to entry * physician diagnosis of asthma for at least one year prior to study enrollment. * Obesity defined as BMI greater than 30. * subjects must have an Asthma Control Questionnaire (ACQ) score \>1.25 on the Juniper Asthma Control Questionnaire (indicating poor asthma control), * require daily medications for asthma and be compliant with study related medications. Exclusion Criteria: * Subjects must not have been intubated in the last 5 years or unstable asthma symptoms resulting in significant loss or work or school * upper or lower respiratory tract infection within 1 month of the study * use of antibiotics within 4 weeks of the study * use of oral glucocorticoids within 4 weeks * use of theophylline * smoking history greater than 10 pack years or any cigarette use within the past two years * significant non-asthma pulmonary disease or other medical problems * Subjects planning to undergo gastric bypass surgery within 4 months of the enrollment date will be excluded since weight loss is a potential confounder of asthma control * Pregnant women will also be excluded