Chronic respiratory symptoms in young adulthood tied to CVD, mortality risks in midlife

Young adults with chronic respiratory symptoms are at high risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and all-cause mortality in midlife, with the risk increase independent of established cardiovascular risk factors, smoking and lung function, a study reports.

The study used data from the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults cohort study and included 4,621 participants aged 18–30 years. All participants completed respiratory symptom questionnaires in two consecutive examinations.

A total of 284 CVD events (6.15 percent) and 378 deaths (8.18 percent) occurred over a median follow-up of 30.9 years. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards models showed that the risk of CVD events was significantly elevated in the presence of any respiratory symptom (hazard ratio [HR], 1.51, 95 percent confidence interval [CI], 1.18–1.93), cough or phlegm (HR, 1.57, 95 percent CI, 1.18–2.09), wheeze (HR, 1.31, 95 percent CI, 1.01–1.68), shortness of breath (HR, 1.73, 95 percent CI, 1.25–2.41), and chest illnesses (HR, 1.32, 95 percent CI, 1.01–1.71).

Similar findings were seen for all-cause mortality.

Comparing with participants who had no respiratory symptoms, those who had three to four respiratory symptoms had almost a twofold higher risk of developing CVD (HR, 1.97, 95 percent CI, 1.34–2.91) and a 75-percent higher risk of all-cause mortality (HR, 1.75, 95 percent CI, 1.23–2.47). The estimates were robust to various sensitivity analyses.

The findings suggest that chronic respiratory symptoms in young adulthood may provide prognostic information about future cardiovascular health.