L. Grievink et al., Plasma concentrations of the antioxidants beta-carotene and alpha-tocopherol in relation to lung function, EUR J CL N, 53(10), 1999, pp. 813-817
Objective: To study the association between plasma antioxidants (beta-carot
ene and alpha-tocopherol) and lung function in Dutch adults aged 20-59 y.
Design: Cross-sectional.
Setting: Population-based study.
Subjects: A random sample (n=367) was drawn from all participants (men and
women) aged 20-59 y with reproducible lung function measurements in 1995.
Intervention: Completion of general questionnaire and physical examination.
Main outcome measurements: Forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1), forced v
ital capacity (FVC) and plasma levels of beta-carotene and alpha-tocopherol
.
Results: Subjects with a high plasma beta-carotene level (90th percentile,
that is .57 mu mol/L) tended to have a higher FEV1 (73 mi, s.e.m. 60 mi; P
= 0.22) and a higher FVC (147 mi, s.e.m. 76 mi, P = 0.05) than subjects wit
h a low plasma beta-carotene level(10th percentile, that is 0.11 mu mol/L)
after adjustment for age, height, gender, smoking status, pack-years of smo
king and alcohol consumption. There was no difference in lung function betw
een subjects with high and low plasma alpha-tocopherol concentrations.
Conclusions: The results suggest that subjects with a high plasma beta-caro
tene tended to have a higher FVC than subjects with a low plasma beta-carot
ene concentration which was borderline statistically significant. The diffe
rence for FEV1 between high and low levels of plasma beta-carotene tended t
o be in the same positive direction as that of FVC but did not reach the pr
e-set statistical significance lever. There is no relation between plasma a
lpha-tocopherol and lung function.