The following is a summary of “Lung function and cardiovascular risk at age 45 in a cohort of the general population,” published in the February 2024 issue of Pulmonology by Divinagracia, et al.
The link between impaired lung function and cardiovascular mortality is recognized, but the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. For a study, researchers sought to explore the associations between lung function and cardiovascular risk scores in a cohort of men and women aged 45 years.
Participants were drawn from an unselected birth cohort followed into adulthood. Lung function measurements, including spirometry, body plethysmography, gas diffusion, and airway conductance, were obtained at ages 32 and 45. Future cardiovascular risk was estimated at age 45 using the PREDICT multivariable cardiovascular risk algorithm. Linear regression analyses were conducted with log-transformed risk scores as the dependent variable. Associations were explored cross-sectionally at age 45 and longitudinally by examining changes in lung function between ages 32 and 45.
Of the 1,037 original cohort participants, data from 863 individuals were analyzed. Low lung volumes (FEV1, FVC, VA, TLC, and FRC) correlated with higher cardiovascular risk scores cross-sectionally at age 45 and longitudinally over time. These associations were more pronounced in women, remained significant after adjusting for smoking history and body mass index, and were evident even in non-smokers. However, no associations were found between airway function measures (FEV1/FVC ratio and sGaw) or gas transfer (TLco/VA) and cardiovascular risk scores.
The study findings suggested that low lung volumes at age 45 and accelerated decline in pulmonary function are linked to increased estimated cardiovascular risk scores in mid-adulthood. Notably, this association is more robust in women and persists independently of smoking or obesity.
Reference: resmedjournal.com/article/S0954-6111(23)00395-5/fulltext