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Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease mortality in six U.S. cities
F E Speizer1, M E Fay, D W Dockery
1Department of Environmental Science and Physiology, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115.
The American Review of Respiratory Disease
|September 1, 1989
Summary
Reduced lung function, measured by FEV1, strongly predicts mortality from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), cardiovascular disease, and all causes in adults. This finding holds even after accounting for age, symptoms, and smoking habits.
Area of Science:
- Pulmonary Medicine
- Epidemiology
- Cardiovascular Health
Background:
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and cardiovascular disease (CVD) are leading causes of mortality.
- Predictive factors for mortality in these conditions require ongoing investigation.
- Lung function is a potential indicator of overall health and mortality risk.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between lung function (FEV1) and mortality from all causes, COPD, and CVD.
- To assess FEV1 as a predictor of mortality in a cohort of white adults.
- To determine if FEV1 predicts mortality independently of other risk factors.
Main Methods:
- A 9- to 12-year mortality follow-up study was conducted on 8,427 white adults.
- Survival analyses were performed on 941 confirmed deaths for all causes.
- Specific primary causes of death were analyzed for 851 deaths with available death certificates.
Main Results:
- A reduced relative level of Forced Expiratory Volume in 1 second (FEV1) was a significant predictor of mortality.
- This association was observed for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), cardiovascular (CV), and all-cause mortality.
- The predictive power of FEV1 remained significant after adjusting for age, respiratory symptoms, and smoking status.
Conclusions:
- Lung function, specifically FEV1, is a robust predictor of mortality across multiple causes in adults.
- FEV1 serves as an important indicator for assessing long-term health risks, including COPD and cardiovascular disease.
- While FEV1 is a strong predictor, the study did not establish trends in COPD mortality due to a limited number of respiratory deaths.