Published online Oct 15, 2020. doi: 10.4239/wjd.v11.i10.425
Peer-review started: June 25, 2020
First decision: July 30, 2020
Revised: August 11, 2020
Accepted: August 31, 2020
Article in press: August 31, 2020
Published online: October 15, 2020
Processing time: 111 Days and 0.5 Hours
Previously, the association between type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and pulmonary disease was confirmed. Some studies found that T2DM is related to obstructive pulmonary disease (OPD), and others have shown that it is related to restrictive pulmonary disease (RPD).
T2DM and RPD are highly connected with T2DM, but research on causality between them is insufficient. Therefore, it is important to study this.
To find out the association between T2DM and pulmonary disease and to reveal its causal relationship.
Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) is a survey research program conducted by the Korean Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention to assess the health and nutritional status of adults and children in Korea and to track changes over time. The survey combines interviews, physical examinations, and laboratory tests. KNHANES interview includes demographic, socioeconomic, dietary, and health-related questions. The examination component consists of medical, dental, and physiological measurements as well as laboratory tests administered by medical personnel, and all data are made anonymous and can be officially downloaded from the website. The KNHANES data are the official national disclosure data conducted annually. The data in this study are complex sampling design, using logistic regression analysis that is most appropriate to view the association between the variables recommended by the Korean Centers for Diseases Control.
Compared to OPD, the ratio of T2DM and its risk factors in restrictive RPD was very high. In addition, the analysis of pulmonary disease by fasting glucose level showed no significant difference in impaired fasting glucose group, and in T2DM, the probability of RPD occurring was 1.907 times higher than that of OPD. Also, the results of this study have significant association between RPD and T2DM, whereas impaired fasting glucose was weak or not present.
RPD is highly relevant to T2DM regardless of risk factors. To summarize, this study suggests that RPD is not a cause of T2DM but rather a consequence of T2DM.
In the future, a longitudinal study should identify changes in pulmonary function of impaired fasting glucose as it progresses.