Reduced forced vital capacity is independently associated with ethnicity, metabolic factors and respiratory symptoms in a Caribbean population: a cross-sectional study

Sateesh Sakhamuri,Terence Seemungal,Fallon Lutchmansingh,Donald Simeon,Peter Burney,Liane Conyette

doi:10.1186/s12890-019-0823-9

Abstract

BackgroundRelationships between low forced vital capacity (FVC), and morbidity have previously been studied but there are no data available for the Caribbean population. This study assessed the association of low FVC with risk factors, health variables and socioeconomic status in a community-based study of the Trinidad and Tobago population.MethodsA cross-sectional survey was conducted using the Burden of Obstructive Lung Disease (BOLD) study protocol. Participants aged 40 years and above were selected using a two-stage stratified cluster sampling. Generalized linear models were used to examine associations between FVC and risk factors.ResultsAmong the 1104 participants studied a lower post-bronchodilator FVC was independently associated with a large waist circumference (− 172 ml; 95% CI, − 66 to − 278), Indo-Caribbean ethnicity (− 180 ml; 95% CI, − 90 to − 269) and being underweight (− 185 ml; 95% CI, − 40 to − 330). A higher FVC was associated with smoking cannabis (+ 155 ml; 95% CI, + 27 to + 282). Separate analyses to examine associations with health variables indicated that participants with diabetes (p = 0∙041), history of breathlessness (p = 0∙007), and wheeze in the past 12 months (p = 0∙040) also exhibited lower post-bronchodilator FVC.ConclusionThese findings suggest that low FVC in this Caribbean population is associated with ethnicity, low body mass index (BMI), large waist circumference, chronic respiratory symptoms, and diabetes.

Highlights

More than one and a half centuries after Hutchinson’s design of a spirometer to determine the ‘capacity for life,’ the forced vital capacity (FVC) remains a good predictor of mortality and morbidity
Two of them showed low forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) or FVC associated with vascular disease [12, 13] and another, FVC with systemic inflammation in diabetic patients [14]
We studied FVC in a national community-based study of non-institutionalized adults aged 40 years and over and living in Trinidad and Tobago, using the Burden of Obstructive Lung Disease (BOLD) study methodology

Summary

Introduction

More than one and a half centuries after Hutchinson’s design of a spirometer to determine the ‘capacity for life,’ the forced vital capacity (FVC) remains a good predictor of mortality and morbidity. Few spirometry based studies have been conducted on the Caribbean population. These studies have focused on airway obstruction and were performed either in specialty clinics or hospital. Relationships between low forced vital capacity (FVC), and morbidity have previously been studied but there are no data available for the Caribbean population. This study assessed the association of low FVC with risk factors, health variables and socioeconomic status in a community-based study of the Trinidad and Tobago population

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion