Association of Serum Lipids and Obstructive Lung Disease in Hispanic/Latino Adults of Diverse Backgrounds.

Majid Afshar,Ramon Durazo Arvizu,Ravi Kalhan Md,Sonia M Davis,Donghong Wu,Eliana P Mende,Oana L Klein Md,Frank G Aguilar,Martha L Daviglus,Maria S Pattany,Robert Kaplan

doi:10.4172/2161-105x.1000419

Abstract

RationaleSubstantial variation in the prevalences of obstructive lung disease exist between Hispanic/Latino heritage groups. Experimental studies have posited biological mechanisms linking serum lipids and lipid-lowering medications with obstructive lung disease. The aim of this study is to examine the associations of serum lipid levels with the prevalences of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos and how these associations vary by Hispanic/Latino heritage group.MethodsThe Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos is a population-based probability sample of 16,415 self-identified Hispanic/Latino persons aged 18–74 years recruited between 2008 and 2011 from randomly selected households in four US field centers. The baseline clinical examination included comprehensive biological testing (fasting serum lipid levels), behavioral and socio-demographic assessments, medication inventory including inhalers, and respiratory data including questionnaires for asthma and standardized spirometry with post-bronchodilator measures for identification of obstructive lung disease.Measurements and main resultsHispanic/Latinos with current asthma had lower age- and statin-use-adjusted mean serum total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and triglyceride levels than their non-asthmatic counterparts. In analysis adjusted for age plus gender, ethnicity, cigarette smoking, alcohol intake, body mass index, lipid/cholesterol-lowering medications, age at immigration, health insurance status, and use of oral corticosteroids, increasing serum levels of total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol were associated with lower odds of current asthma in the estimated population. Unlike asthma, Hispanic/Latinos with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease had lower mean high-density lipoprotein than their non- chronic obstructive pulmonary disease counterparts. In the fully adjusted analysis no significant associations were found between lipid levels and prevalent chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.ConclusionsWe showed a modest inverse relationship between serum lipid levels and current asthma. These results highlight some important differences in Hispanics/Latinos and certain serum lipids may be factors or markers of obstructive lung disease.

Highlights

Hispanics/Latinos comprised 16% of the United States (U.S.) population with over 50 million in 2010 and are the fastest growing ethnic minority group [1]
In analysis adjusted for age plus gender, ethnicity, cigarette smoking, alcohol intake, body mass index, lipid/cholesterol-lowering medications, age at immigration, health insurance status, and use of oral corticosteroids, increasing serum levels of total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol were associated with lower odds of current asthma in the estimated population
These results highlight some important differences in Hispanics/Latinos and certain serum lipids may be factors or markers of obstructive lung disease

Summary

Introduction

Hispanics/Latinos comprised 16% of the United States (U.S.) population with over 50 million in 2010 and are the fastest growing ethnic minority group [1]. Substantial variation in the prevalences of asthma and COPD exist between Hispanic/Latino heritage groups [3–5]. In U.S population surveys, the prevalence of asthma was highest in U.S Hispanics with Puerto Rican heritage and lowest in those with Mexican heritage, with non-Hispanic whites and blacks in between [6–8]. Age-adjusted mortality rates for COPD in the U.S are reported to be the highest in Puerto Ricans (15.5 per 100,000 individuals) and the lowest in Mexicans (6.4 per 100,000 individuals) [7]. A prior study from the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL) was among the first to establish the prevalences of both diseases in multiple Hispanic/Latino heritage groups in the U.S and helped elucidate important factors for varying prevalences of asthma and COPD [9]. Additional studies are needed to further clarify the disparities in prevalence in this heterogeneous population

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