Pubertal onset with adulthood lung function mediated by height growth in adolescence
- Liang Li1,
- Hongmei Zhang1⇑,
- John W. Holloway2,
- A. John Henderson3,
- Susan Ewart4,
- Caroline L. Relton5,
- S. Hasan Arshad6,7 and
- Wilfried Karmaus1
- 1Division of Epidemiology, Biostatistics, and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, University of Memphis, Memphis, TN, USA
- 2Human Development and Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
- 3Population Health Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
- 4College of Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
- 5MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
- 6Clinical and Experimental Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
- 7The David Hide Asthma and Allergy Research Centre, St Mary's, Hospital, Newport, Isle of Wight, UK
- Prof. Hongmei Zhang, Division of Epidemiology, Biostatistics, and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, University of Memphis, Memphis, TN, USA. E-mail: hzhang6{at}memphis.edu
Abstract
Background Age of pubertal onset is associated with height and lung function in adulthood. It is unknown whether height growth in adolescence mediates the association of age at puberty with early adult lung function.
Methods Data from the Isle of Wight (IOW) birth cohort (n=1261) were examined in the study. Ages of pubertal events, height at ages 10 and 18 years and lung function parameters (FVC, FEV1) at 26 years were included in a path analyses to assess the mediation effects of height growth. Findings were tested in the ALSPAC birth cohort.
Results In females in the IOW cohort, age at menarche and body hair growth showed a positive indirect association with FVC (menarche: indirect effect coefficient [IEC]=0.13, 95% confidence interval [CI]:0.05–0.20, p=1.28×10−3; body hair growth: IEC=0.08, 95% CI: 0.01–0.15, p=0.017) and FEV1 (menarche: IEC=0.09, 95% CI: 0.01–0.17, p=0.028; body hair growth: IEC=0.07, 95% CI: 0.01–0.14, p=0.043) at 26 years through height growth and lung function at 18 years. In males, age at body hair growth (IEC=0.08; 95% CI: 0.01–0.15, p=0.047), growth spurt (IEC=0.09; 95% CI: 0.01–0.17, p=0.034), and facial hair growth (IEC=0.09; 95% CI: 0.02–0.16, p=0.014) had positive indirect effects on FVC at 26 years, but voice deepening did not show statistically significant indirect effects (p>0.05). For pubertal events available in the ALSPAC cohort, results consistent with the IOW cohort were found for both females and males.
Conclusion Effects of age of puberty on FVC in early adulthood are likely mediated by height growth during adolescence.
Footnotes
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Conflict of interest: Dr. Li has nothing to disclose.
Conflict of interest: Dr. Zhang has nothing to disclose.
Conflict of interest: Dr. Holloway has nothing to disclose.
Conflict of interest: Dr. Henderson has nothing to disclose.
Conflict of interest: Dr. Ewart has nothing to disclose.
Conflict of interest: Dr. Relton has nothing to disclose.
Conflict of interest: Dr. Arshad has nothing to disclose.
Conflict of interest: Dr. Karmaus has nothing to disclose.
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- Received July 28, 2020.
- Accepted August 27, 2020.
- Copyright ©ERS 2020
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