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Asthma and extrapulmonary comorbidities in a middle-aged general population : results from the SCAPIS study

Wang, Juan ; Blomberg, Anders ; Ekström, Magnus LU orcid ; Persson, Hans Lennart ; Sköld, Magnus ; Torén, Kjell ; Zhou, Xingwu ; Malinovschi, Andrei and Janson, Christer (2025) In BMJ Open Respiratory Research 12(1).
Abstract

Introduction Asthma may increase the risk of comorbidities and systemic inflammation, but population data are scarce. This study aimed to compare comorbidities and systemic inflammation between those with and without current asthma and to identify characteristics linked to comorbidities and biomarkers. Methods In a cross-sectional analysis of 28 828 people aged 50–64 in the Swedish CArdioPulmonary bioImage Study, assessments included postbronchodilator forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1), forced vital capacity (FVC), serum levels of C reactive protein (CRP) and haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c). Data on current physician-diagnosed asthma, respiratory symptoms and comorbidities were obtained via a questionnaire. Results The... (More)

Introduction Asthma may increase the risk of comorbidities and systemic inflammation, but population data are scarce. This study aimed to compare comorbidities and systemic inflammation between those with and without current asthma and to identify characteristics linked to comorbidities and biomarkers. Methods In a cross-sectional analysis of 28 828 people aged 50–64 in the Swedish CArdioPulmonary bioImage Study, assessments included postbronchodilator forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1), forced vital capacity (FVC), serum levels of C reactive protein (CRP) and haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c). Data on current physician-diagnosed asthma, respiratory symptoms and comorbidities were obtained via a questionnaire. Results The prevalence of current asthma was 6.3%. Current asthma was independently associated with a higher prevalence of hypertension (OR=1.30; 95% CI 1.16 to 1.46), hyperlipidaemia (OR=1.20; 95% CI 1.04 to 1.39), diabetes (OR=1.42; 95% CI 1.16 to 1.75), coeliac disease (OR=2.52; 95% CI 1.61 to 3.95) and rheumatic disease (OR=1.43; 95% CI 1.16 to 1.78). Asthma was also associated with higher levels of CRP (beta=0.25; 95% CI 0.06 to 0.44) and HbA1c (beta=0.47; 95% CI 0.18 to 0.77). In those with asthma, lower FVC % predicted was associated with a higher likelihood of hypertension (OR=1.10; 95% CI 1.01 to 1.19), diabetes (OR=1.47; 95% CI 1.26 to 1.71) and rheumatic disease (OR=1.22; 95% CI 1.05 to 1.42). Lower FEV1 % predicted was associated with a higher likelihood of diabetes (OR=1.27; 95% CI 1.12 to 1.44). FVC % and FEV1 % predicted were negatively associated with CRP and HbA1c. Conclusions Our findings suggest that in middle-aged people, asthma is independently associated with common comorbidities such as hypertension, diabetes and rheumatic disease, as well as elevated CRP and blood glucose. Our data suggest that some associations are connected with lung function impairment in those with asthma.

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author
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organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
BMJ Open Respiratory Research
volume
12
issue
1
article number
e003020
publisher
BMJ Publishing Group
external identifiers
  • pmid:40541274
  • scopus:105009129298
ISSN
2052-4439
DOI
10.1136/bmjresp-2024-003020
language
English
LU publication?
yes
additional info
Publisher Copyright: © Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2025.
id
3a5ebbf3-708e-420d-b152-03ea5c0d9d67
date added to LUP
2025-12-17 09:27:09
date last changed
2025-12-18 03:00:15
@article{3a5ebbf3-708e-420d-b152-03ea5c0d9d67,
  abstract     = {{<p>Introduction Asthma may increase the risk of comorbidities and systemic inflammation, but population data are scarce. This study aimed to compare comorbidities and systemic inflammation between those with and without current asthma and to identify characteristics linked to comorbidities and biomarkers. Methods In a cross-sectional analysis of 28 828 people aged 50–64 in the Swedish CArdioPulmonary bioImage Study, assessments included postbronchodilator forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV<sub>1</sub>), forced vital capacity (FVC), serum levels of C reactive protein (CRP) and haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c). Data on current physician-diagnosed asthma, respiratory symptoms and comorbidities were obtained via a questionnaire. Results The prevalence of current asthma was 6.3%. Current asthma was independently associated with a higher prevalence of hypertension (OR=1.30; 95% CI 1.16 to 1.46), hyperlipidaemia (OR=1.20; 95% CI 1.04 to 1.39), diabetes (OR=1.42; 95% CI 1.16 to 1.75), coeliac disease (OR=2.52; 95% CI 1.61 to 3.95) and rheumatic disease (OR=1.43; 95% CI 1.16 to 1.78). Asthma was also associated with higher levels of CRP (beta=0.25; 95% CI 0.06 to 0.44) and HbA1c (beta=0.47; 95% CI 0.18 to 0.77). In those with asthma, lower FVC % predicted was associated with a higher likelihood of hypertension (OR=1.10; 95% CI 1.01 to 1.19), diabetes (OR=1.47; 95% CI 1.26 to 1.71) and rheumatic disease (OR=1.22; 95% CI 1.05 to 1.42). Lower FEV<sub>1</sub> % predicted was associated with a higher likelihood of diabetes (OR=1.27; 95% CI 1.12 to 1.44). FVC % and FEV<sub>1</sub> % predicted were negatively associated with CRP and HbA1c. Conclusions Our findings suggest that in middle-aged people, asthma is independently associated with common comorbidities such as hypertension, diabetes and rheumatic disease, as well as elevated CRP and blood glucose. Our data suggest that some associations are connected with lung function impairment in those with asthma.</p>}},
  author       = {{Wang, Juan and Blomberg, Anders and Ekström, Magnus and Persson, Hans Lennart and Sköld, Magnus and Torén, Kjell and Zhou, Xingwu and Malinovschi, Andrei and Janson, Christer}},
  issn         = {{2052-4439}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{06}},
  number       = {{1}},
  publisher    = {{BMJ Publishing Group}},
  series       = {{BMJ Open Respiratory Research}},
  title        = {{Asthma and extrapulmonary comorbidities in a middle-aged general population : results from the SCAPIS study}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmjresp-2024-003020}},
  doi          = {{10.1136/bmjresp-2024-003020}},
  volume       = {{12}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}