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BACKGROUND: The few studies that have examined associations between greenspace and lung function in adulthood have yielded conflicting results and none have examined whether the rate of lung function decline is affected. OBJECTIVE: We explored the association between residential greenspace and change in lung function over 20 years in 5559 adults from 22 centers in 11 countries participating in the population-based, international European Community Respiratory Health Survey. METHODS: Forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV(1)) and forced vital capacity (FVC) were measured by spirometry when participants were approximately 35 (1990-1994), 44 (1999-2003), and 55 (2010-2014) years old. Greenness was assessed as the mean Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) in 500 m, 300 m, and 100 m circular buffers around the residential addresses at the time of lung function measurement. Green spaces were defined as the presence of agricultural, natural, or urban green spaces in a circular 300 m buffer. Associations of these greenspace parameters with the rate of lung function change were assessed using adjusted linear mixed effects regression models with random intercepts for subjects nested within centers. Sensitivity analyses considered air pollution exposures. RESULTS: A 0.2-increase (average interquartile range) in NDVI in the 500 m buffer was consistently associated with a faster decline in FVC (-1.25 mL/year [95% confidence interval: -2.18 to -0.33]). These associations were especially pronounced in females and those living in areas with low PM(10) levels. We found no consistent associations with FEV(1) and the FEV(1)/FVC ratio. Residing near forests or urban green spaces was associated with a faster decline in FEV(1), while agricultural land and forests were related to a greater decline in FVC. CONCLUSIONS: More residential greenspace was not associated with better lung function in middle-aged European adults. Instead, we observed slight but consistent declines in lung function parameters. The potentially detrimental association requires verification in future studies.

Higher levels of testosterone have been associated with better lung function in cross-sectional population-based studies. The role of testosterone on lung function in women, and on lung function decline in men or women is unclear. We studied 5,114 men and 5,467 women in UK Biobank with high-quality spirometry at baseline (2006-10) and 8.4 years later. We studied cross-sectional associations of total testosterone (TT), calculated free testosterone (cFT), free androgen index (FAI) and sex-hormone binding globulin (SHBG) with FEV1, FVC and FEV1/FVC using linear regression and associations of baseline markers with lung function decline using linear mixed effects regression. Men with higher levels of TT had higher FEV1 (27.56 ml per interquartile range (IQR) increase TT, 95%CI 5.43 to 49.68) and FVC (48.06 ml, 95%CI 22.07 to 74.06) at baseline. Higher cFT levels were associated with higher FEV1 and FVC among physically active men only. In women, higher FAI and cFT levels were associated with lower lung function at baseline, and higher levels of TT, cFT and FAI were associated with slightly attenuated FEV1 and FVC decline. Higher levels of SHBG were associated with better lung function in both sexes but slightly accelerated decline in men. In this population-based sample, higher levels of TT were associated with better lung function in men and higher levels of cFT with better lung function in physically active men. A small attenuation of lung function decline with higher levels of TT, cFT and FAI was seen in women only.

Background: Change in the prevalence of asthma-like symptoms in populations of ageing adults is likely to be influenced by smoking, asthma treatment and atopy. Methods: The European Community Respiratory Health Survey (ECRHS) collected information on prevalent asthma-like symptoms from representative samples of adults aged 20-44 years (29 centres in 13 European countries and Australia) at baseline and 10 and 20 years later (n=7844). Net changes in symptom prevalence were determined using generalised estimating equations (accounting for non-response through inverse probability weighting), followed by meta-analysis of centre level estimates. Findings: Over 20 years the prevalence of ‘wheeze’ and ‘wheeze in the absence of a cold’ decreased (-2.4% 95%CI -3.5 to -1.3%; -1.5% 95%CI -2.4 to -0.6%; respectively) but the prevalence of asthma attacks, use of asthma medication and hayfever/nasal allergies increased (0.6%, 95%CI 0.1 to 1.11; 3.6%, 95%CI 3.0 to 4.2; 2.7% 95%CI 1.7 to 3.7;). Changes were similar in the first ten years compared to the second ten years, except for hayfever/nasal allergies (increase seen in the first ten years only). Decreases in these wheeze-related symptoms were largely seen in the group who gave up smoking, and were seen in those who reported hayfever/nasal allergies at baseline. Interpretation: European adults born between 1946 and 1970 have, over the last 20 years, experienced less wheeze, although they were more likely to report asthma attacks, use of asthma medication and hayfever. Decrease in wheeze is largely attributable to smoking cessation, rather than improved treatment of asthma. It may also be influenced by reductions in atopy with ageing.