The relationship between serum fatty-acid binding protein 4 level and lung function in Korean subjects with normal ventilatory function

Background: The aim of this study was to assess the association of lung function with serum fatty-acid binding protein 4 (FABP4) in apparently healthy Korean adults. Methods: In 495 participants in a health screening program, Force Exploratory Volume (FEV) 1 and Forced Vital Capacity (FVC) were assessed with standard spirometry. Subjects with obstructive (n = 19) and restrictive (n = 45) lung function were excluded from the analysis. Serum FABP4 level was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and transformed into Ln(FABP4). 431 subjects with normal ventilator function (72.4 % men, mean age 41 years) were included in the final analysis. Results: Mean Ln(FABP4) significantly decreased in subjects from 1^st quartile to 4^th quartile of FVC (p = 0.008). Ln(FABP4) did not show significant differences across the quartile groups of FEV1. The odds ratio (OR) of being in the lowest quartile of FVC was 2.704 in subject with 3^rd tertile of Ln(FABP4) after full adjustment for confounding variables (95 % confidence interval (CI) 1.397 ~ 5.357). OR of being in the lowest quartile of FEV1 was 1.822 (95 % CI 1.021 ~ 3.298) in subjects with 3^rd tertile of Ln(FABP4) after adjustment of age and sex, which was attenuated after full adjustment for confounding variables. Conclusion: Increased FABP4 level showed increased risk for reduced lung function in subjects with normal ventilatory function.