Association of adult lung function with accelerated biological aging

Lung function, strongly associated with morbidity and mortality, decreases with age. This study examines whether poor adult lung function is associated with age accelerations (AAs). DNA methylation (DNAm) based AAs, lifespan predictors (GrimAge and plasminogen activator inhibitor 1-PAI1) and their related age-adjusted measures were estimated from peripheral blood at two time points (8-to-11 years apart) in adults from two cohorts: SAPALDIA (n=987) and ECRHS (n=509). Within each cohort and stratified by gender (except for estimators from GrimAge and PAI1), AAs were used as predictors in multivariate linear regression with cross-sectional lung function parameters, and in covariate-adjusted mixed linear regression with longitudinal change in lung function and meta-analysed. AAs were found cross-sectionally associated with lower mean FEV1 (Forced Expiratory Volume in one second) (AA-residuals:P-value=4x10-4; Intrinsic Epigenetic AA:P-value=2x10-4) in females at the follow-up time point only, and the same trend was observed for FVC (Forced Vital Capacity). Both lifespan and plasma level predictors were observed strongly associated with lung function decline and the decline was stronger in the follow-up time points (strongest association between FEV1 and DNAmAge GrimAge:P-value=1.25x10-17). This study suggests that DNAm based lifespan and plasma level predictors can be utilised as important factors to assess lung health in adults

Residential green space and age at menarche in German and Australian adolescent girls: A longitudinal study.

BACKGROUND: A large multicentre European study reported later onset of menopause among women residing in greener areas. This influence on the timing of a reproductive event like menopause, raises the question whether similar associations can be observed with timing of menarche. We investigated whether exposure to residential green space was related to the age at menarche in German and Australian adolescent girls. METHODS: The analytic samples comprised of 1706 German and 1474 Australian adolescent girls. Percentage of green space was calculated in 1000 m buffers around a residential address or its surrogate at the previous follow-up. Mixed effects Cox proportional hazard models were used to explore the associations. The survival object was the occurrence of menarche at the time of follow-up (15-year follow-up of the German cohorts and the study wave at 14-15 years in the Australian cohort) and number of years since baseline (10-year follow-up in the German cohort and the study wave at 10-11 years in the Australian cohort). Participants who did not reach menarche were included as censored observations. RESULTS: A greener residence was not associated with the age at menarche. Null findings were consistent in the general population and in analyses stratified by socioeconomic status or urbanicity in both countries. Urban residents were more likely to have earlier menarche, and this association was consistent across Germany and Australia. CONCLUSION: The results of our analysis do not support the hypothesis that residing in places with more green space can influence timing of menarche. However, given the limitations of our study, researchers should not be discouraged to further explore environmental risk factors of early menarche

Menopause is associated with accelerated lung function decline

RATIONALE: Menopause is associated with changes in sex hormones, which affect immunity, inflammation, and osteoporosis and may impair lung function. Lung function decline has not previously been investigated in relation to menopause. OBJECTIVES: To study whether lung function decline, assessed by forced vital capacity and forced expiratory volume in one second, is accelerated in women who undergo menopause. METHODS: The population-based longitudinal European Community Respiratory Health Survey provided serum samples, spirometry and questionnaire data about respiratory and reproductive health from three study waves (N=1438). We measured follicle stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone and added information on menstrual patterns, to determine menopausal status using latent class analysis. Associations with lung function decline were investigated using linear mixed effects models, adjusting for age, height, weight, packyears, current smoking, age at completed full-time education, spirometer and including study center as random effect. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Menopausal status was associated with accelerated lung function decline. The adjusted mean forced vital capacity decline was increased by -10.2 ml/yr (95% Confidence interval -13.1 to -7.2) in transitional women and -12.5 ml/yr (-16.2 to -8.9) in postmenopausal women, compared to women menstruating regularly. The adjusted mean forced expiratory volume in one second decline increased by -3.8 ml/yr (-6.3 to -2.9) in transitional women and -5.2 ml/yr (-8.3 to -2.0) in postmenopausal women. CONCLUSIONS: Lung function declined more rapidly among transitional and postmenopausal women, in particular for forced vital capacity, beyond the expected age change. Clinicians should be aware that respiratory health often deteriorates during reproductive aging