Relationship between skeletal muscle mass and lung function in Korean adults without clinically apparent lung disease

Abstract

Previous studies have demonstrated that low skeletal muscle mass is related to decreased lung function in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. However, there is little information about the relationship between skeletal muscle mass and lung function in asymptomatic adults without clinically apparent lung disease.This was a cross-sectional study of 240,562 Korean adults without known lung disease. All subjects underwent both pulmonary function test (PFT) and bioelectrical impedance analysis in the health checkup program at Kangbuk Samsung Hospital. Skeletal muscle mass index (SMI) was estimated as skeletal muscle mass/weight×100. We analyzed the relationship between SMI and PFT using multivariate logistic regression models.Of the 240,562 study subjects, values for forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1), and peak expiratory flow (PEF) were decreased across quartiles (Qs) of decreasing SMI. After adjustments for various confounders including demographic and health behavior-related factors, odds ratios (ORs; 95% confidence interval) for subjects with FVC% <80% for Q1–Q3 compared with Q4 (reference) were 2.97 (2.74–3.17), 2.11 (1.99–2.27), and 1.66 (1.52–1.83), respectively. ORs for subjects with FEV1% <80% for Q1–Q3 compared with Q4 were 2.64 (2.43–2.83), 1.96 (1.83–2.09), and 1.51 (1.43–1.62), respectively. Lastly, OR for subjects with PEF% <80% for Q1–Q3 compared with Q4 were 1.73 (1.58–1.89), 1.35 (1.26–1.45), and 1.23 (1.15–1.30), individually. Subgroup analyses for gender and all age groups showed the associations of decreasing SMI Qs with lower FVC%, FEV1%, and PEF% remained significant.Decreased SMI was independently associated with decline in lung function in apparently healthy adults. This association was sustained in subgroup analyses by gender and all age groups.

Relationship between pulmonary function and physical performance among community‐living people: results from Look‐up 7+ study

“…For example, PEF is the maximum speed of expiration, which is usually used to monitor patients with obstructive lung diseases such as COPD and asthma. However, in healthy subjects without definite pulmonary diseases, PEF correlates with the lung volume as well as the expiratory muscle strength and power . In fact, some studies showed that PEF values increased by specific expiratory muscle strength training .…”

“…These previous studies were conducted in older patients in hospitals and/or nursing homes, not in community‐dwelling subjects, and had mostly small sample sizes. Nevertheless, few studies have explored lung function in healthy subjects . Our survey is the first assessing pulmonary and physical function in a general and in a large sample of non‐selected population.…”

“…Nevertheless, few studies have explored lung function in healthy subjects. 25,27,28 Our survey is the first assessing pulmonary and physical function in a general and in a large sample of non-selected population. In this respect, the Look-up 7+ project provided a unique opportunity to assess this relationship among subjects of any age and gender entered exhibition hall and/or shopping centre to visit stands and not to do a lifestyle interview and a health evaluation.…”

“…However, in healthy subjects without definite pulmonary diseases, PEF correlates with the lung volume as well as the expiratory muscle strength and power. 28 In fact, some studies showed that PEF values increased by specific expiratory muscle strength training. 29 Hence, our finding of FVC, FEV1, and PEF related to physical performance and sarcopenia is substantially consistent with previous studies.…”

Respiratory Function and Muscular capacity in Old Adults: the aga@4life Project

“…4 O compromisso da força muscular inerente à perda de massa muscular no idoso e a sua consequência ao nível da função respiratória foram também investigados por Moon et al, 4 numa coorte de 1.583 idosos de ambos os sexos, na qual se documentou também associação entre menor percentagem de massa muscular e desempenho ventilatório comprometido. 18 Esses resultados são semelhantes aos obtidos por Park et al, 19 objetivando igualmente relação significativa entre o índice de musculatura esquelética e os parâmetros ventilatórios (VEMS e CVF) numa amostra com 240 mil indivíduos.…”