Better Lung Function Linked to Lower Risk of Cardiometabolic Diseases, finds study
Researchers have found in a new study that Individuals with better lung function, as measured by forced vital capacity (FVC), were less likely to develop diabetes, heart disease, and stroke over a 10-year period. This study was conducted by Christer J. and colleagues published in the journal BMJ Open Respiratory Research. Earlier research conducted in developed countries showed an association between greater FVC levels and lower incidences of those diseases.
The study recruited data from 5916 participants in the Burden of Obstructive Lung Disease (BOLD) project. Baseline measurements for spirometry measures include postbronchodilator FEV1, FVC, and FEV1/FVC, with a follow-up to ascertain new events such as hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. The new cases were defined as participants who reported a diagnosis of these diseases at follow-up but not at baseline. Data from each site were analyzed using regression models, and findings were pooled through random-effects meta-analysis. Adjustments were made for age, sex, smoking status, body mass index (BMI), and education level.
Results
The mean follow-up period was 9.5 ± 3.6 years.
Lower FVC and disease incidence: Participants who were 10% higher in the predicted FVC showed significantly lesser likelihood of having
Diabetes (Odds Ratio [OR]: 0.91, 95% CI: 0.84 to 0.99)
Heart disease (OR: 0.86, 95% CI: 0.80 to 0.92)
Stroke (OR: 0.81, 95% CI: 0.73 to 0.89)
FEV1 relation: High FEV1 had an inverse relationship with risk factors for heart disease and stroke.
FEV1/FVC and diabetes: Interestingly, a greater FEV1/FVC ratio was associated with an increased risk of diabetes (OR per 10% = 1.21, 95% CI: 1.08 to 1.35).
FEV1/FVC unrelated to other diseases: There were no significant associations between FEV1/FVC and the occurrence of heart disease or stroke.
Low FVC emerged as a critical determinant of cardiometabolic disease risk, suggesting its inclusion in predictive models could improve early detection and management strategies. This study offers robust evidence supporting the role of lung function as a broader indicator of systemic health and calls for further research into its integration into clinical risk assessments.
Reference:
Janson, C., Potts, J., Malinovschi, A., Agarwal, D., Ahmed, R., Aquart-Stewart, A., Harrabi, I., Denguezli, M., Devereux, G., Erhabor, G. E., Gislason, T., Jogi, R., Juvekar, S. K., Knox-Brown, B., Koul, P., Mortimer, K., Nafees, A. A., Nielsen, R., Mahesh, P. A., … Amaral, A. F. S. (2025). Lung function and onset of cardiometabolic diseases in the longitudinal Burden of Obstructive Lung Disease study. BMJ Open Respiratory Research, 12(1), e002442. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjresp-2024-002442
