Low lung function is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. It is therefore of interest to identify biomarkers that are associated with impaired lung function. The aim of the study was to analyse associations of biomarkers and combinations of biomarkers with lung function in an elderly general population.

Lung function (FEV₁ and FVC) and a panel of 15 inflammatory markers from blood samples were analysed in 888 subjects aged 70 years. Biomarkers included cytokines, chemokines, adhesion molecules, C-reactive protein (CRP) and leukocyte count.

Leukocyte count and CRP were independently associated with FEV₁ after adjustments for other inflammatory markers, sex, BMI, current smoking and pack-years of smoking. In a similar model, leukocyte count and vascular cell adhesion protein 1 (VCAM-1) were the biomarkers that were significantly associated with FVC. Subjects that had both leukocyte count and CRP in the lowest tertile had a FEV₁ that was 9% of predicted higher than subjects with leukocyte count and CRP in the highest tertile (103±16 vs. 94±21% of predicted, p=0.0002) (mean±SD). A difference of 8% of predicted in FVC was found between subjects with leukocyte count and VCAM-1 in the lowest and highest tertiles, respectively (106±18 vs. 98±19% of predicted, p=0.002).

Leucocyte count, CRP and VCAM-1 were found to relate to poorer lung function. A dose related association was found for the combination leukocyte count and CRP towards FEV₁ and leukocyte and VCAM-1 towards FVC. This indicates that combination of two biomarkers yielded more information than assessing them one by one when analysing the association between systemic inflammation and lung function.