title: Shared and distinct genetic influences among different measures of pulmonary function.
abstract: We examined shared and distinct genetic influences among standard measures of pulmonary functions: ratio of forced expiratory volume at 1 s to forced vital capacity (FEV1/FVC) and percent predicted values for forced expiratory volume at 1 s (FEV1%p), forced expiratory flow (FEFmax%p), and maximal voluntary ventilation (MVV%p) in 978-1,048 middle-aged (mean age = 55 years) male-male twins from the Vietnam Era Twin Study of Aging. A common latent factor (h(2) = 0.30) accounted for the correlations among these measures. This factor accounted for 54-81 % of the heritability of FEV1%p, FEFmax%p and MVV%p, but only explained 16 % of the heritability of FEV1/FVC. The remaining heritability of FEV1/FVC was explained by genetic influences independent of the common factor. Our findings suggest that while a common latent phenotype accounts for the relationships among different pulmonary function measures, the majority of genetic influences underlying FEV1/FVC--an index of pulmonary obstruction--are distinct from those underlying other pulmonary function measures.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Chicago, 5841 S. Maryland Avenue, MC 3077 CNPRU, Chicago, IL 60637, USA. terriev@uchicago.edu
authors.forename: Terrie
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Vasilopoulos
authors.forename: Michael D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Grant
authors.forename: Carol E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Franz
authors.forename: Matthew S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Panizzon
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Xian
authors.forename: Rosemary
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Toomey
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Lyons
authors.forename: William S
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Kremen
authors.forename: Kristen C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Jacobson
mesh_terms: D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010641:Phenotype; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D014429:Twins, Dizygotic; D014430:Twins, Monozygotic; D014797:Vital Capacity / Q000235:genetics*