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Breathlessness across generations : Results from the RHINESSA generation study

Ekström, Magnus LU orcid ; Johannessen, Ane ; Abramson, Michael J. ; Benediktsdottir, Bryndis ; Franklin, Karl ; Gislason, Thorarinn ; Gómez Real, Francisco ; Holm, Mathias ; Janson, Christer and Jogi, Rain , et al. (2022) In Thorax 77(2). p.172-177
Abstract

Background: Breathlessness is a major cause of suffering and disability globally. The symptom relates to multiple factors including asthma and lung function, which are influenced by hereditary factors. No study has evaluated potential inheritance of breathlessness itself across generations. Methods: We analysed the association between breathlessness in parents and their offspring in the Respiratory Health in Northern Europe, Spain and Australia generation study. Data on parents and offspring aged ≥18 years across 10 study centres in seven countries included demographics, self-reported breathlessness, asthma, depression, smoking, physical activity level, measured Body Mass Index and spirometry. Data were analysed using multivariable... (More)

Background: Breathlessness is a major cause of suffering and disability globally. The symptom relates to multiple factors including asthma and lung function, which are influenced by hereditary factors. No study has evaluated potential inheritance of breathlessness itself across generations. Methods: We analysed the association between breathlessness in parents and their offspring in the Respiratory Health in Northern Europe, Spain and Australia generation study. Data on parents and offspring aged ≥18 years across 10 study centres in seven countries included demographics, self-reported breathlessness, asthma, depression, smoking, physical activity level, measured Body Mass Index and spirometry. Data were analysed using multivariable logistic regression accounting for clustering within centres and between siblings. Results: A total of 1720 parents (mean age at assessment 36 years, 55% mothers) and 2476 offspring (mean 30 years, 55% daughters) were included. Breathlessness was reported by 809 (32.7%) parents and 363 (14.7%) offspring. Factors independently associated with breathlessness in parents and offspring included obesity, current smoking, asthma, depression, lower lung function and female sex. After adjusting for potential confounders, parents with breathlessness were more likely to have offspring with breathlessness, adjusted OR 1.8 (95% CI 1.1 to 2.9). The association was not modified by sex of the parent or offspring. Conclusion: Parents with breathlessness were more likely to have children who developed breathlessness, after adjusting for asthma, lung function, obesity, smoking, depression and female sex in both generations. The hereditary components of breathlessness need to be further explored.

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organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
asthma, clinical epidemiology, Perception of asthma/breathlessness
in
Thorax
volume
77
issue
2
article number
217271
pages
172 - 177
publisher
BMJ Publishing Group
external identifiers
  • scopus:85108508424
  • pmid:34127557
ISSN
0040-6376
DOI
10.1136/thoraxjnl-2021-217271
language
English
LU publication?
yes
additional info
Publisher Copyright: © Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2021. Re-use permitted under CC BY. Published by BMJ. Copyright: Copyright 2021 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.
id
18731f9e-61ca-4eb3-a752-d0baa153033f
date added to LUP
2021-08-16 10:44:39
date last changed
2024-06-15 14:29:27
@article{18731f9e-61ca-4eb3-a752-d0baa153033f,
  abstract     = {{<p>Background: Breathlessness is a major cause of suffering and disability globally. The symptom relates to multiple factors including asthma and lung function, which are influenced by hereditary factors. No study has evaluated potential inheritance of breathlessness itself across generations. Methods: We analysed the association between breathlessness in parents and their offspring in the Respiratory Health in Northern Europe, Spain and Australia generation study. Data on parents and offspring aged ≥18 years across 10 study centres in seven countries included demographics, self-reported breathlessness, asthma, depression, smoking, physical activity level, measured Body Mass Index and spirometry. Data were analysed using multivariable logistic regression accounting for clustering within centres and between siblings. Results: A total of 1720 parents (mean age at assessment 36 years, 55% mothers) and 2476 offspring (mean 30 years, 55% daughters) were included. Breathlessness was reported by 809 (32.7%) parents and 363 (14.7%) offspring. Factors independently associated with breathlessness in parents and offspring included obesity, current smoking, asthma, depression, lower lung function and female sex. After adjusting for potential confounders, parents with breathlessness were more likely to have offspring with breathlessness, adjusted OR 1.8 (95% CI 1.1 to 2.9). The association was not modified by sex of the parent or offspring. Conclusion: Parents with breathlessness were more likely to have children who developed breathlessness, after adjusting for asthma, lung function, obesity, smoking, depression and female sex in both generations. The hereditary components of breathlessness need to be further explored. </p>}},
  author       = {{Ekström, Magnus and Johannessen, Ane and Abramson, Michael J. and Benediktsdottir, Bryndis and Franklin, Karl and Gislason, Thorarinn and Gómez Real, Francisco and Holm, Mathias and Janson, Christer and Jogi, Rain and Lowe, Adrian and Malinovschi, Andrei and Martínez-Moratalla, Jesús and Oudin, Anna and Sánchez-Ramos, José Luis and Schlünssen, Vivi and Svanes, Cecilie}},
  issn         = {{0040-6376}},
  keywords     = {{asthma; clinical epidemiology; Perception of asthma/breathlessness}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{2}},
  pages        = {{172--177}},
  publisher    = {{BMJ Publishing Group}},
  series       = {{Thorax}},
  title        = {{Breathlessness across generations : Results from the RHINESSA generation study}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/thoraxjnl-2021-217271}},
  doi          = {{10.1136/thoraxjnl-2021-217271}},
  volume       = {{77}},
  year         = {{2022}},
}