Pilot Study of Pioglitazone for the Treatment of Moderate to Severe Asthma in Obese Asthmatics (Glitz Asthma)

Participants in this study will be randomly assigned (like the flip of a coin) to pioglitazone or placebo (an inactive pill). They will be given study medication to take every day for 12 weeks (3 months). Participants will complete a number of asthma-related questionnaires and a variety of pulmonary function tests. Participants will undergo physical exams, an electrocardiogram, and blood sampling to measure leptin, adiponectin, markers of inflammation, blood cell counts, glucose levels, BNP hormone levels, and liver function. To monitor participants throughout the study, follow-up visits will be done at 2, 6, and 12 weeks after starting study drug. At these visits many of the pulmonary function tests and questionnaires will be repeated.