Skip to main content

Lund University Publications

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

Associations between chronic airflow limitation, respiratory symptoms, and quality of life across alcohol use categories : a population based study

Nielsen, Line Bjerrehave ; Olsson, Max LU orcid ; Weinreich, Ulla Møller and Ekström, Magnus LU orcid (2025) In Respiratory Medicine 248.
Abstract

Introduction: Alcohol use has significant health implications, yet the association between alcohol use and respiratory symptoms remains relatively understudied. This study examines the prevalence of hazardous alcohol use and its associations with breathlessness, chronic cough, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and whether these associations with chronic airway limitation (CAL) differ by alcohol use. Methods: Cross-sectional study of the Swedish CArdioPulmonary bioImage Study (SCAPIS) comprising 25,424 aged 50–64. Hazardous alcohol use was defined as an Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) score ≥8. CAL was defined as a post-bronchodilator FEV1/FVC ratio <0.7. Breathlessness (mMRC rating ≥2), chronic cough, and... (More)

Introduction: Alcohol use has significant health implications, yet the association between alcohol use and respiratory symptoms remains relatively understudied. This study examines the prevalence of hazardous alcohol use and its associations with breathlessness, chronic cough, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and whether these associations with chronic airway limitation (CAL) differ by alcohol use. Methods: Cross-sectional study of the Swedish CArdioPulmonary bioImage Study (SCAPIS) comprising 25,424 aged 50–64. Hazardous alcohol use was defined as an Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) score ≥8. CAL was defined as a post-bronchodilator FEV1/FVC ratio <0.7. Breathlessness (mMRC rating ≥2), chronic cough, and HRQoL, measured using the Short Form 12 (SF-12) were assessed through questionnaires. Associations were analysed using multivariable regression models adjusted for smoking, BMI, age, sex, comorbidities, and predicted FEV1/FVC %. In secondary analyses, associations between CAL and outcomes were examined stratified by alcohol use. Results: Hazardous alcohol use was present in 11 % of the analytic sample and in 15 % of those with CAL. Hazardous alcohol use was associated with increased odds of breathlessness (odds ratio [OR] 1.37; [95 % confidence interval] 1.09–1.70) and chronic cough (OR 1.46; 1.32–1.62), and with lower physical and mental HRQoL scores. CAL was more strongly associated with symptoms in participants with hazardous alcohol use than in lower-level users. Conclusion: Hazardous alcohol use was linked to increased breathlessness, chronic cough, and lower HRQoL. Associations between CAL and respiratory symptoms were stronger among individuals with hazardous alcohol use, suggesting a potential interaction.

(Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Alcohol, Breathlessness, Chronic airway limitation, Chronic cough, HRQoL
in
Respiratory Medicine
volume
248
article number
108350
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • pmid:40939894
  • scopus:105015524182
ISSN
0954-6111
DOI
10.1016/j.rmed.2025.108350
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
0f8f3529-e9e6-459a-861e-152ae6f8bf86
date added to LUP
2025-10-03 13:50:12
date last changed
2025-10-17 15:43:52
@article{0f8f3529-e9e6-459a-861e-152ae6f8bf86,
  abstract     = {{<p>Introduction: Alcohol use has significant health implications, yet the association between alcohol use and respiratory symptoms remains relatively understudied. This study examines the prevalence of hazardous alcohol use and its associations with breathlessness, chronic cough, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and whether these associations with chronic airway limitation (CAL) differ by alcohol use. Methods: Cross-sectional study of the Swedish CArdioPulmonary bioImage Study (SCAPIS) comprising 25,424 aged 50–64. Hazardous alcohol use was defined as an Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) score ≥8. CAL was defined as a post-bronchodilator FEV1/FVC ratio &lt;0.7. Breathlessness (mMRC rating ≥2), chronic cough, and HRQoL, measured using the Short Form 12 (SF-12) were assessed through questionnaires. Associations were analysed using multivariable regression models adjusted for smoking, BMI, age, sex, comorbidities, and predicted FEV1/FVC %. In secondary analyses, associations between CAL and outcomes were examined stratified by alcohol use. Results: Hazardous alcohol use was present in 11 % of the analytic sample and in 15 % of those with CAL. Hazardous alcohol use was associated with increased odds of breathlessness (odds ratio [OR] 1.37; [95 % confidence interval] 1.09–1.70) and chronic cough (OR 1.46; 1.32–1.62), and with lower physical and mental HRQoL scores. CAL was more strongly associated with symptoms in participants with hazardous alcohol use than in lower-level users. Conclusion: Hazardous alcohol use was linked to increased breathlessness, chronic cough, and lower HRQoL. Associations between CAL and respiratory symptoms were stronger among individuals with hazardous alcohol use, suggesting a potential interaction.</p>}},
  author       = {{Nielsen, Line Bjerrehave and Olsson, Max and Weinreich, Ulla Møller and Ekström, Magnus}},
  issn         = {{0954-6111}},
  keywords     = {{Alcohol; Breathlessness; Chronic airway limitation; Chronic cough; HRQoL}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Respiratory Medicine}},
  title        = {{Associations between chronic airflow limitation, respiratory symptoms, and quality of life across alcohol use categories : a population based study}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.rmed.2025.108350}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.rmed.2025.108350}},
  volume       = {{248}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}