Pulmonary function and atherosclerosis in the general population: causal associations and clinical implications

Figures

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  Fig. 1. Associations of lung function and emphysema score with atherosclerosis in three arterial beds. Associations between exposures (columns) and outcomes (rows) in men (red) and women (blue). Depicted are the probability of SIS > = 2 (top row, A), probability of CACS > 0 (B), probability of ABI < 0.9 (C) and the probability of plaque in at least one coronary artery (D). Curves are truncated at the sex-specific 10th and 90th percentiles of the exposure variables and vertical broken lines indicate the sex specific interquartile range (IQR) with the exception of the Emphysema score where the IQR equals zero and lines are drawn at zero and one

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  Fig. 2. Forest plots of all men (a) and women (b). Adjusted OR (95% CIs) for a sex-specific interquartile range increase in the exposures with the exception of the Emphysema score where the OR corresponds to an increase between zero and one. ORs are adjusted for site, age, weight, height, waist circumference, CRP, smoking status (never, former, current), diabetes mellitus, fraction of the day spent sedentary and education. "Low" and "high" indicate the interquartile range for the exposure variables

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  Fig. 3. Forest plots of men (a) and women (b) who never smoked. Adjusted OR (95%CIs) for a sex-specific interquartile range increase in the exposures with the exception of the Emphysema score where the OR corresponds to an increase between zero and one. ORs are adjusted for site, age, weight, height, waist circumference, CRP, diabetes mellitus, fraction of the day spent sedentary and education. "Low" and "high" indicate the interquartile range for the exposure variables

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  Fig. 4. Causal effects and 95% confidence intervals for (A) the effect of lung function on atherosclerosis and (B) the effect of atherosclerosis on lung function, estimated using Mendelian randomization (IVW, MR-Egger, Weighted median MR, CAUSE MR, Multivariable MR, and IVW in never-smokers). Estimates above 0 indicate a positive effect, and below 0 a negative effect. Please see Online resource for details