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Antioxidants, oxidative stress, and pulmonary function in individuals diagnosed with asthma or COPD

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition volume 60, pages 991–999 (2006)Cite this article

Abstract

Objective:

The objective of this study was to investigate the association between antioxidant nutrients and markers of oxidative stress with pulmonary function in persons with chronic airflow limitation.

Design:

Cross-sectional study exploring the association of antioxidant nutrients and markers of oxidative stress with forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV1%) and forced vital capacity (FVC%).

Setting/Subjects:

The study data included 218 persons with chronic airflow limitation recruited randomly from the general population of Erie and Niagara counties, New York State, USA.

Results:

After adjustment for covariates, multiple linear regression analysis showed that serum β-cryptoxanthin, lutein/zeaxanthin, and retinol, and dietary β-carotene, β-cryptoxanthin, lutein/zeaxanthin, vitamin C, and lycopene were positively associated with FEV1% (P<0.05, all associations). Serum vitamins β-cryptoxanthin, lutein/zeaxanthin, and lycopene, and dietary β-cryptoxanthin, β-carotene, vitamin C, and lutein/zeaxanthin were positively associated with FVC% (P<0.05, all associations). Erythrocytic glutathione was negatively associated with FEV1%, while plasma thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS) were negatively associated with FVC% (P<0.05).

Conclusion:

These results support the hypothesis that an imbalance in antioxidant/oxidant status is associated with chronic airflow limitation, and that dietary habits and/or oxidative stress play contributing roles.

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Acknowledgements

This work is supported in part by a grant from the American Lung Association to Holger Schünemann and AA-0902 from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. The authors thank the personnel at the Center for Preventive Medicine, University at Buffalo, for their contribution to the study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health and Health Professions, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA

    H M Ochs-Balcom, B J B Grant, P Muti, C T Sempos, J L Freudenheim, M Trevisan & H J Schünemann

  2. Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA

    H M Ochs-Balcom

  3. Ireland Comprehensive Cancer Center at University Hospitals of Cleveland and Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA

    H M Ochs-Balcom

  4. Section of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, Veterans Administration Medical Center, Buffalo, NY, USA

    B J B Grant

  5. Department of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA

    B J B Grant & H J Schünemann

  6. Department of Clinical Laboratory Science, School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA

    R W Browne

  7. Department of Epidemiology, Division of Cancer Prevention and Population Science, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, NY, USA

    S E McCann

  8. Division of Nutritional Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA

    P A Cassano

  9. Center for High Technology Research and Education in Biomedical Sciences, Catholic University, Campobosso, Italy

    L Iacoviello

  10. Department of Epidemiology, National Cancer Institute Regina Elena, Rome, Italy

    H J Schünemann

  11. Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada

    H J Schünemann

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  1. H M Ochs-Balcom
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  8. M Trevisan
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  9. P A Cassano
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to H J Schünemann.

Additional information

Guarantors: HJ Schünemann and HM Ochs-Balcom.

Contributors: HMO-B contributed to the data acquisition, data analysis, data interpretation and manuscript preparation. BJBG contributed to the data interpretation, statistical supervision and review of the final draft. PM participated in design, funding, data interpretation and review of the final draft. CTS contributed to the statistical supervision, data interpretation and review of the final draft. JLF participated in design, funding, helped with data interpretation, review of the final draft. RWB measured the oxidative stress and antioxidant biomarkers, contributed to the data interpretation and review of the final draft. SEM contributed to the analysis of dietary antioxidant intakes, data interpretation and review of the final draft. MT participated in design, funding, data interpretation and review of the final draft. PAC contributed to the manuscript preparation and data interpretation. LI contributed to the data interpretation and review of the final draft. HJS contributed to the study design, data acquisition, funding, data analysis, data interpretation and manuscript preparation.

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Ochs-Balcom, H., Grant, B., Muti, P. et al. Antioxidants, oxidative stress, and pulmonary function in individuals diagnosed with asthma or COPD. Eur J Clin Nutr 60, 991–999 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602410

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602410

Keywords

  • forced expiratory volume
  • vital capacity
  • glutathione
  • glutathione peroxidase
  • oxidative stress
  • TBARS

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