Relation between lung function and RBC distribution width in a population-based study.
OBJECTIVE
Pulmonary function is dependent not only on smoking, but also on nutritional status. Since an increased RBC distribution width (RDW) has been associated with nutritional deficiencies, we postulated that RDW has an inverse relation to pulmonary function. The purpose of this study was to test this hypothesis.


METHODS
A cross-sectional study was conducted of a random sample of the general population in western New York.


METHODS
A total of 1,616 subjects of both genders who were aged 35 to 79 years and were free of respiratory disease.


METHODS
None.


METHODS
Pulmonary function was assessed from FEV(1), FVC, height, body weight, total pack-years of smoking, smoking status, hemoglobin concentration, and hematologic indexes, eosinophil count, education, and blood levels of retinol, beta-cryptoxanthin, and vitamin E.


RESULTS
We found a direct relation between RDW and the number of pack-years of smoking and smoking status, and an inverse relation between FEV(1) and FVC with RDW, even when potentially confounding variables such as smoking were taken into account. When the variability of FEV(1) due to smoking was used for comparison, an additional 27% of that variability in FEV(1) was explained by variations in antioxidant vitamin levels, and another 24% by RDW.


CONCLUSIONS
The results confirmed our hypothesis that there is an inverse relation between RDW and pulmonary function, and raise the possibility that RDW may be a biomarker for as-yet unidentified nutrients that affect pulmonary function.
Grant
Brydon J B
BJ
Veterans Affairs Western New York Health Care System, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Buffalo, New York 14215, USA. grant@buffalo.edu
Kudalkar
Deepa P
DP
Muti
Paola
P
McCann
Susan E
SE
Trevisan
Maurizio
M
Freudenheim
Jo L
JL
Schünemann
Holger J
HJ
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009518:New York; D009752:Nutritional Status; D011159:Population Surveillance / Q000379:methods*; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D012143:Respiratory Physiological Phenomena; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012923:Social Class; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D000975:Antioxidants