Relationship between pulmonary function and peripheral vascular function in older Chinese: Guangzhou biobank cohort study-CVD

Background: Findings describing the relationship between pulmonary function and peripheral vascular function have been inconclusive. We explored this relationship in Guangzhou Biobank Cohort Study-Cardiovascular Subcohort (GBCS-CVD). Methods: Brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) and ankle brachial index (ABI) were measured by a waveform analyser, and pulmonary function by turbine flowmeter spirometry. Predicted forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV₁) and forced vital capacity (FVC) were derived using equations for Chinese. Regression analyses were used to investigate the association. Results: Of 1528 older Chinese, 980 (64.1%) had arterial stiffness (baPWV ≥1400 cm/s), but only 29 (1.9%) had peripheral arterial disease (PAD) (ABI <0.9). The mean (±standard deviation, SD) baPWV was 1547 (±298) cm/s and mean (±SD) ABI 1.09 (±0.09). Before and after adjusting for potential confounders, baPWV was negatively associated with FEV₁ and FVC % predicted (% predicted=observed/predicted ×100%) (adjusted β: -0.95 and-1.16 respectively, p<0.05), and ABI was marginally non-significantly positively associated with FEV₁% predicted (adjusted β 0.02, p=0.32) and FVC% predicted (adjusted β 0.02, p=0.18). Compared to participants in the highest tertile of pulmonary function, those in the lowest had higher risk of arterial stiffness (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 1.51, 95% CI 1.09-2.10 for FEV₁ and AOR 1.69, 95% CI 1.22-2.33 for FVC), but the higher risk of PAD was marginally non-significant (AOR 1.64, p=0.42 for FEV₁ and AOR 1.65, p=0.24 for FVC). Conclusion: In older relatively healthy normal weight Chinese, pulmonary function was inversely dose-dependently associated with arterial stiffness, while the association with PAD was much weaker.