Inverse association between pulmonary function and C-reactive protein in apparently healthy subjects.
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.
Aronson
Doron
D
Department of Cardiology, Rambam Medical Center, POB 9602, Haifa 31096, Israel. daronson@techunix.technion.ac.il
Roterman
Inon
I
Yigla
Mordechay
M
Kerner
Arthur
A
Avizohar
Ophir
O
Sella
Ron
R
Bartha
Peter
P
Levy
Yishai
Y
Markiewicz
Walter
W
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*
D015415:Biomarkers; D002097:C-Reactive Protein