Spirometric patterns associated with the progression of cardiometabolic diseases in middle-aged and older adults: A prospective cohort study

To explore the associations between spirometric patterns and cardiometabolic diseases progression in middle-aged and older adults, and examine the mediating effects of levels of C-reactive protein and score on the atherogenic index of plasma.

Based on 320,795 participants from the UK Biobank, five spirometric patterns were defined using baseline measurements of forced expiratory volume in one second and forced vital capacity. The cardiometabolic diseases included type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease, and stroke. Multistate model and mediation analysis were used for statistical analyses.

During a median follow-up of 13.68 years, 37,053 participants developed at least one cardiometabolic disease, 3746 developed cardiometabolic multimorbidity, and 22,204 died. In the transition from baseline to first cardiometabolic diagnosis, the hazard ratios (95 % confidence intervals) compared with normal lung function were 1.14 (1.11, 1.17) for airflow obstruction, 1.17 (1.10, 1.23) for preserved ratio impaired spirometry alone, 1.21 (1.10, 1.32) for restrictive spirometric pattern alone, and 1.38 (1.33, 1.43) for the combined preserved ratio impaired spirometry with restrictive spirometric pattern. Combined preserved ratio impaired spirometry with restrictive spirometric pattern was also associated with a higher risk of progressing from first cardiometabolic disease to multimorbidity (hazard ratio: 1.21; 95 % confidence interval: 1.10, 1.33). The levels of C-reactive protein and score on the atherogenic index of plasma mediated 6.56 % to 15.74 % of the associations between spirometric patterns and cardiometabolic diseases.

Spirometric patterns exhibit differential effects throughout the progression of cardiometabolic diseases, and C-reactive protein and atherogenic index of plasma play a partial role in mediating these effects.