Amund Gulsvik1, Per S Bakke1, Jan Brøgger2, Rune Nielsen3, Knut Stavem4. 1. Dept. of Clinical Science, Faculty of Medicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway. 2. Section for Clinical Neurophysiology, Department of Neurology, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway. 3. Dept. of Clinical Science, Faculty of Medicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; Dept. of Thoracic Medicine, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway. 4. Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Lørenskog, Norway; Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Medical Division, Akershus University Hospital, Lørenskog, Norway; Health Services Research Unit, Akershus University Hospital, Lørenskog, Norway. Electronic address: knut.stavem@medisin.uio.no.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: This study assessed the association between respiratory symptoms and mortality in four cohorts of the general population in Norway aged 15-75 years and in selected subgroups in the pooled sample. METHODS: The study comprised 158,702 persons, who were drawn randomly from the Norwegian population register. All subjects received a standardized, self-administered questionnaire on 11 respiratory symptoms between 1972 and 1998, with follow-up of death until December 31, 2017. Analyses were performed on 114,380 respondents. RESULTS: The hazard of death was closely associated with sex, age, and education. The hazard ratios (HR) for death and the 95% confidence intervals (CI) by risk factors were similar in the four cohorts. After adjustment for demographic and environmental, modifiable factors, the HR for death was 1.90 (95% CI 1.80-2.00) for breathlessness score 3, 1.28 (1.21-1.37) for cough/phlegm score 5 and 1.09 (1.05-1.14) for attack of breathlessness/wheeze score 2 compared to the referent (no symptom), respectively. The cough/phlegm score was associated with death in current smokers but not in never smokers or ex-smokers. Breathlessness score was associated with death in men and women. CONCLUSION: Among persons aged 45-75 years, respiratory symptoms were significant predictors of all cause mortality. Education and smoking habits influenced only the associations between coughing and mortality. The associations were independent of study sites.
OBJECTIVE: This study assessed the association between respiratory symptoms and mortality in four cohorts of the general population in Norway aged 15-75 years and in selected subgroups in the pooled sample. METHODS: The study comprised 158,702 persons, who were drawn randomly from the Norwegian population register. All subjects received a standardized, self-administered questionnaire on 11 respiratory symptoms between 1972 and 1998, with follow-up of death until December 31, 2017. Analyses were performed on 114,380 respondents. RESULTS: The hazard of death was closely associated with sex, age, and education. The hazard ratios (HR) for death and the 95% confidence intervals (CI) by risk factors were similar in the four cohorts. After adjustment for demographic and environmental, modifiable factors, the HR for death was 1.90 (95% CI 1.80-2.00) for breathlessness score 3, 1.28 (1.21-1.37) for cough/phlegm score 5 and 1.09 (1.05-1.14) for attack of breathlessness/wheeze score 2 compared to the referent (no symptom), respectively. The cough/phlegm score was associated with death in current smokers but not in never smokers or ex-smokers. Breathlessness score was associated with death in men and women. CONCLUSION: Among persons aged 45-75 years, respiratory symptoms were significant predictors of all cause mortality. Education and smoking habits influenced only the associations between coughing and mortality. The associations were independent of study sites.
Authors: Nicolás Bermúdez Barón; Anne Lindberg; Caroline Stridsman; Martin Andersson; Linnea Hedman; Sigrid Anna Vikjord; Hannu Kankaanranta; Bo Lundbäck; Eva Rönmark; Helena Backman Journal: BMJ Open Respir Res Date: 2021-07