Persistent light to moderate alcohol intake and lung function: A longitudinal study.

Journal: Alcohol (Fayetteville, N.Y.)
PMID: 29396309

Abstract

Alcohol intake has been inconsistently associated with lung function levels in cross-sectional studies. The goal of our study was to determine whether longitudinally assessed light-to-moderate alcohol intake is associated with levels and decline of lung function. We examined data from 1333 adult participants in the population-based Tucson Epidemiological Study of Airway Obstructive Disease. Alcohol intake was assessed with four surveys between 1972 and 1992. Subjects who completed at least two surveys were classified into longitudinal drinking categories ("never", "inconsistent", or "persistent drinker"). Spirometric lung function was measured in up to 11 surveys between 1972 and 1992. Random coefficient models were used to test for differences in lung function by drinking categories. After adjustment for sex, age, height, education, BMI categories, smoking status, and pack-years, as compared to never-drinkers, persistent drinkers had higher FVC (coefficient: 157 mL, p < 0.001), but lower FEV/FVC ratio (-2.3%, p < 0.001). Differences were due to a slower decline of FVC among persistent than among never-drinkers (p = 0.003), and these trends were present independent of smoking status. Inconsistent drinking showed similar, but weaker associations. After adjustment for potential confounders, light-to-moderate alcohol consumption was associated with a significantly decreased rate of FVC decline over adult life.

Authors

  • Monica M Vasquez
    Asthma and Airway Disease Research Center, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA; Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA. Electronic address: mmv@email.arizona.edu.
  • Duane L Sherrill
    Asthma and Airway Disease Research Center, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA.
  • Tricia D LeVan
    Department of Epidemiology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA; Department of Internal Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center and Veterans Affairs Nebraska Western Iowa Healthcare System, Omaha, NE, USA.
  • Wayne J Morgan
    Asthma and Airway Disease Research Center, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA.
  • Joseph H Sisson
    Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, Sleep & Allergy, Department of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA.
  • Stefano Guerra
    Asthma and Airway Disease Research Center, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA; ISGlobal CREAL, and Pompeu Fabra University, Barcelona, Spain.

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