Association of lung function with cardiovascular risk: a cohort study

Area of Science:

• Pulmonary Medicine
• Cardiology
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Pulmonary dysfunction's impact on cardiovascular diseases (CVD) is increasingly recognized.
• Investigating the link between lung function and cardiovascular risk is crucial for public health.

Purpose of the Study:

• To quantify the cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between lung function and overall cardiovascular risk.
• To assess cardiovascular risk in the Chinese general population based on lung function parameters.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from 4019 participants in the Wuhan-Zhuhai cohort with a 3-year follow-up.
• Employed the Framingham study's multivariable risk algorithm to calculate 10-Year CVD Risk.
• Applied general linear and logistic regression models to analyze associations between lung function (FEV1/FVC, FVC, FEV1) and CVD risk.

Main Results:

• A 5% decrease in FEV1/FVC correlated with a 0.47% increase in 10-Year CVD Risk (P<0.001).
• Lowest FEV1/FVC (COPD) was associated with 2.37 times higher prevalence of high CVD risk cross-sectionally.
• Longitudinally, a 5% decrease in FEV1/FVC predicted a 1.14-fold increased incidence of high CVD risk, with COPD individuals showing a 4.06-fold increased risk.

Conclusions:

• Reduced lung function is significantly associated with increased cardiovascular risk in the Chinese general population.
• Both cross-sectional and longitudinal data support a strong link between impaired lung function and heightened CVD risk.