Effect of pulmonary function on bone mineral density in the United States: results from the NHANES 2007-2010 study.

Abstract

The relationship between pulmonary function (PF) and bone mineral density (BMD) remains controversial. In the US population, we found a positive association between PF and BMD. Mixed variables such as age, gender, and race may influence this association. Based on the data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from 2007 to 2010, this study explored whether there is a correlation between PF (1st second forceful expiratory volume as a percentage of expected value (FEV1(% predicted)), (one-second rate (FEV1/FVC)), and bone mineral density. We evaluated the relationship between PF and BMD in 6327 NHANES subjects (mean age 44.51 ± 15.64 years) from 2007 to 2010. The bone mineral density of the whole femur was measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). After adjusting for a wide range of confounders, we examined the relationship between PF and total femur BMD using a multiple linear regression model. Correction of race, age, alcohol consumption, body mass index (BMI), height, poor income ratio (PIR), total protein, serum calcium, serum uric acid, cholesterol, serum phosphorus, blood urea nitrogen, FEV1(% predicted), and femur BMD were positively correlated (β = 0.032, 95% CI: 0.010-0.054, P = 0.004). FEV1/FVC was positively correlated with spine BMD (β = 0.275 95%CI: 0.102-0.448, P = 0.002). Our study shows that PF is positively associated with BMD in the US population. A variety of factors such as race and age influence this relationship. the relationship between PF and BMD needs to be further investigated, including specific regulatory mechanisms and confounding factors.