Abstract
Introduction: Impaired lung function is associated with systemic inflammation and is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease in older adults. It is unknown when these associations emerge and to what extent they are mediated by smoking, chronic airways disease, and/or established atherosclerosis. We studied the association between lung function and systemic inflammation in a population-based birth cohort of approximately 1000 young adults.
Methods: Serum C-reactive protein (CRP) and spirometry were measured at ages 26 and 32. Pregnant women were excluded. Where appropriate, analyses were adjusted for height and sex to account for differences in predicted lung function.
Results: There were inverse associations between FEVl and CRP at ages 26 (r= -0.13 p<O.OO1) and 32 years (r= - 0.15, p<O.OO1). These associations were not significantly different in men and women and were independent of smoking history, diagnosis of asthma, and body mass index. Similar associations were found between FVC and CRP. The association between CRP and the FEVl/FVC ratio was weaker with a significant correlation only in women.
Conclusions: Reduced lung function is associated with systemic inflammation in young adults. The association is independent of smoking, asthma and body mass index. The reasons for the association are unexplained, but suggest that the association between poor lung function and cardiovascular disease may be mediated by an inflammatory mechanism.