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. Keywords: Pulmonary function, Arterial stiffness, Peripheral arterial disease (PAD), Vascular function