Systemic inflammatory markers in relation to lung function in NHANES. 2007-2010

Elisabet Nerpin; Tiago Jacinto; João A Fonseca; Kjell Alving; Christer Janson; Andrei Malinovschi

doi:10.1016/j.rmed.2018.07.011

Systemic inflammatory markers in relation to lung function in NHANES. 2007-2010

Respir Med. 2018 Sep:142:94-100. doi: 10.1016/j.rmed.2018.07.011. Epub 2018 Jul 20.

Authors

Elisabet Nerpin¹, Tiago Jacinto², João A Fonseca³, Kjell Alving⁴, Christer Janson⁵, Andrei Malinovschi⁶

Affiliations

¹ Dept. of Medical Sciences: Respiratory, Allergy and Sleep Research, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden; Dept. of Medicine, Health and Social Studies, Dalarna University, Falun, Sweden; Dept. of Medical Sciences: Clinical Physiology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden. Electronic address: ene@du.se.
² Center for Health Technology and Services Research, Faculty of Medicine of University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.
³ Dept. of Biostatistics and Medical Informatics, Faculty of Medicine of the University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.
⁴ Dept. of Women's and Children's Health, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.
⁵ Dept. of Medical Sciences: Respiratory, Allergy and Sleep Research, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.
⁶ Dept. of Medical Sciences: Clinical Physiology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.

PMID: 30170809
DOI: 10.1016/j.rmed.2018.07.011

Abstract

Background: Low-grade systemic inflammation, mainly assessed by C-reactive protein (CRP), has been associated with impaired lung function. Few studies have studied if CRP, blood eosinophils, and blood neutrophils offer additive information in relation to lung function.

Objectives: To analyse associations between lung function and CRP, blood eosinophils, and blood neutrophils, with special regard to additive information of combining the inflammatory markers.

Methods: Cross-sectional study on 7753 participants, 20-80 years of age, in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Gender-based tertiles for CRP, blood eosinophils, and blood neutrophils were analysed in relation to the following lung function parameters: forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV₁% predicted), forced vital capacity (FVC % predicted), and FEV₁/FVC ratio.

Results: CRP, blood eosinophils, and blood neutrophils levels were inversely related to FEV₁ and FVC. Only blood eosinophils and blood neutrophils were inversely related to FEV₁/FVC ratio. Further, lower lung function was found with increased number of elevated inflammatory markers in the highest tertile (one, two or three vs. non elevated) for FEV₁ (β-coeff., -2.20, -4.43, and -6.43, p < 0.001) and FVC (β-coeff., -1.70, -3.15 and -5.33, p < 0.001), respectively.

Conclusions & clinical relevance: CRP, blood eosinophils, and blood neutrophils offer independent and additive information in relation to lower FEV₁ and FVC in the general population. This indicates that a combination of biomarkers yields more information than the biomarkers assessed individually.

Keywords: Blood eosinophils; Blood neutrophils; CRP; Inflammation.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adult
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Biomarkers / blood
C-Reactive Protein*
Cross-Sectional Studies
Eosinophils*
Female
Forced Expiratory Volume
Humans
Inflammation / diagnosis*
Leukocyte Count*
Lung Diseases / diagnosis*
Male
Middle Aged
Neutrophils*
Nutrition Surveys*
Respiratory Function Tests*
Vital Capacity
Young Adult

Substances

Biomarkers
C-Reactive Protein