Underweight as a risk factor for respiratory death in the Whitehall cohort study: exploring reverse causality using a
Mika Kivimäki1, Martin J Shipley1, Joshua A Bell1
1Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College London, London, UK.
Abstract:
Underweight adults have higher rates of respiratory death than the normal weight but it is unclear whether this association is causal or reflects illness-induced weight loss (reverse causality). Evidence from a 45-year follow-up of underweight participants for respiratory mortality in the Whitehall study (N=18 823; 2139 respiratory deaths) suggests that excess risk among the underweight is attributable to reverse causality. The age-adjusted and smoking-adjusted risk was 1.55-fold (95% CI 1.32 to 1.83) higher among underweight compared with normal weight participants, but attenuated in a stepwise manner to 1.14 (95% CI 0.76 to 1.71) after serial exclusions of deaths during the first 5-35 years of follow-up (P(trend)<0.001).
Related Concept Videos
Assessment of Airway, Skin Color, and Use of Accessory Muscles
Introduction
The initial evaluation of a patient's respiratory system...
Physical Assessment of the Respiratory Tract II: Inspection
Chest Configuration
The chest configuration...
Acute Respiratory Failure-II
The underlying physiological abnormalities that contribute to hypoxemic respiratory failure include:
Respiratory Assessment: Purpose and Indications
Objectives and Importance:
The primary goal of respiratory assessment is to evaluate patients at early risk of clinical deterioration. Since respiratory distress often precedes other signs of declining health, breathing patterns and sounds become a...
Acute Respiratory Failure-IV
Acute Respiratory Failure-V
Ensure that patients are monitored continuously for their response to therapy, including changes in...

