Low Vital Capacity and Electrocardiographic ST-T Abnormalities in Asymptomatic Adults

Abstract EN

Studies have shown that low forced vital capacity (LFVC) is associated with atherosclerosis.

However, it is unclear whether LFVC is associated with resting electrocardiographic ST-T abnormalities, a common finding that is prognostic for cardiovascular events.

Therefore, pulmonary functions, ST-T abnormalities defined with Minnesota Code, and cardiometabolic risk factors were examined in a cross-sectional study of 1,653 asymptomatic adults without past history of coronary heart diseases.

The prevalence of diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and ST-T abnormalities significantly increased with decreasing percent of predicted forced vital capacity (%PFVC).

ST-T abnormalities were observed in 73 subjects (4.4% in total).

Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that, compared with the highest quartile of %PFVC (≥99.7%), the lowest quartile of %PFVC (≤84.2%) was persistently associated with ST-T abnormalities even after further adjustment for diabetes or metabolic syndrome (odds ratio (95%CI): 2.44 (1.16–5.14) and 2.42 (1.15–5.10), resp.).

Similar trends were observed when subjects were divided into quartiles according to percent of predicted forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1), but not the ratio of FEV1/FVC.

In conclusion, LFVC may be associated with ST-T abnormalities independent of metabolic abnormalities in asymptomatic adults, suggesting a plausible link between impaired pulmonary defects and cardiovascular diseases.