title: Inverse association between pulmonary function and C-reactive protein in apparently healthy subjects.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Increased levels of systemic markers of inflammation have been reported in patients with impaired lung function due to obstructive or restrictive lung disease.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We tested the hypothesis that a decline in lung function within the normal range may be associated with a systemic subclinical inflammation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Pulmonary function tests, cardiorespiratory fitness, components of the metabolic syndrome, and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (CRP) were determined in 1,131 subjects without known pulmonary disease.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Ninety-six of the study participants (8.5%) had FEV(1) of less than 80% of predicted values. There was a strong inverse association between CRP levels and quartiles of FEV(1). The median CRP levels in nonsmoking participants were 2.5, 1.8, 1.7, and 1.3 mg/L in the first, second, third, and forth FEV(1) quartiles, respectively (p < 0.0001). A similar inverse association was present in smoking subjects (median CRP levels were 3.8, 2.3, 2.0, and 1.9 mg/L in the first, second, third, and fourth FEV(1) quartiles, respectively; p < 0.0001). These associations remained highly significant after adjustment for age, sex, components of the metabolic syndrome, and fitness level (p = 0.0005).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  An inverse linear relationship exists between CRP concentrations and measures of pulmonary function in subjects without pulmonary disease and in never-smokers. These results indicate that systemic inflammation may be linked to early perturbations of pulmonary function.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Rambam Medical Center, POB 9602, Haifa 31096, Israel. daronson@techunix.technion.ac.il
authors.forename: Doron
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Aronson
authors.forename: Inon
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Roterman
authors.forename: Mordechay
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yigla
authors.forename: Arthur
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kerner
authors.forename: Ophir
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Avizohar
authors.forename: Ron
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sella
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bartha
authors.forename: Yishai
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Levy
authors.forename: Walter
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Markiewicz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism*; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D005540:Forced Expiratory Flow Rates / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D012016:Reference Values; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology; D014797:Vital Capacity / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D002097:C-Reactive Protein