Lung function can predict death

　　In a Norwegian study of 1,623 middle-aged men with follow-up over 26 years, the patients were recruited primarily from large public sector enterprises.

　　In 1972-1975 the subjects underwent an extensive examination programme, including pulmonary function tests, blood tests, and a symptom-limited bicycle exercise test, and a physical examination.

　　By 2000, 615 subjects died, close to 50% of whom from cardiovascular causes.

　　Knut Stavem (Medical Dept, Akershus University Hospital, L??renskog, Norway) report that FEV1 (a classical measure of lung function) can predict death, even after adjusting for known risk factors such as age, smoking, systolic blood pressure, serum cholesterol, and physical fitness as measured with the exercise test.

　　For every 10% decrease in lung function, the risk of death increased by 10% in the adjusted analysis.

　　When repeating the analyses among current and former smokers, lung function testing predicted death from all causes, including respiratory, among current smokers.

　　However, lung function showed no relationship with death among never smokers.

　　Few similar studies have previously adjusted for an objective measure of physical fitness. The mechanisms involved are largely unexplained.