Antioxidants May Reduce Risk of COPD Among Men

The findings of a new study reveal that men who take antioxidants demonstrated a reduced risk for COPD. Pankaj Joshi, BPH, MS, PhD, and colleagues, write, “In addition, the antioxidant effects of vitamins C and E on the risk [for] COPD might be stronger in men who smoke than in noncurrent smokers.”

The researchers evaluated 10,038 patients from the community-based Korean Genome Epidemiology Study (KoGES) cohort. From this group, the team identified 325 patients with COPD and 6,781 patients who were at risk. Spirometry was used to measure forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV₁) and forced vital capacity (FVC) as a basis for COPD diagnosis.

The researchers identified several factors associated with COPD development, which included low education, lower body mass index, older age, cigarette smoking, and lower household income. According to a Healio news report, the results showed greater dietary vitamin C intake (OR for quintile 1 vs. quintile 5 = 0.66; P = .03) and dietary vitamin E intake (OR for quintile 1 vs. quintile 5 = 0.56; P = .05) was associated with reduced risk for COPD.

This trend was especially apparent among men, the researchers note.

The researchers also reported significantly improved lung function with higher intake of vitamin C (FEV₁, P = .04; FVC, P = .03) and vitamin E (FEV₁, P = .03; FVC, P = .04). No significant interactions between smoking status and intake of vitamin C or vitamin E on COPD risk among men.

Source: Healio