Association of Obstructive Parameters of Lung Functions Estimated by Spirometry with Risk Factors for Cardiovascular Disease among Women of Tertiary Care Hospital

Background Declining lung functions is associated directly with cardiovascular diseases like heart failure or coronary artery disease, or the risk factors leading to cardiovascular mortality like arterial stiffness, pulse wave velocity, hypertension, etc. Exclusive studies in women are not frequently performed. Aim The aim is to study the association between obstructive lung function estimated through spirometry and cardiovascular risk indicators like hypertension and arterial pulse wave velocity measured between carotid and femoral arteries (cf-PWV) in women. Methods A total of 30 postmenopausal women on regular treatment for hypertension were recruited in the study. They were subjected to spirometry and computerized cf-PWV estimation. Women were grouped according to modified global initiative for chronic obstructive lung disease (GOLD) criteria into three groups with increasing severity of obstructive lung function. Results Diastolic blood pressure (p = 0.04), pulse pressure (p < 0.0001), and cf-PWV (p = 0.009) were found to be significantly different between the three groups. Negative correlation existed between cf-PWV and %pred forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) in the group with most severe obstructive lung function (Pearson correlation coefficient r = 0.7610 was significant at p = 0.01). The strength of this negative association decreased as the severity deceased (r = 0.5603, significant at p = 0.03). Conclusion Strong association between severity of obstructive lung function in postmenopausal women with pulse pressure was in lines with previous studies, but the diastolic blood pressure being associated is a novel finding. Also, the degree of obstructive lung function is positively associated with arterial stiffness which is an important indicator for impending cardiovascular mortality.