Abstract
Background: Spirometry values of First Nations Australian children are lower than White children. One explanation relates to differences in the sitting-height/standing-height ratio (Cormic Index), as this accounts for up to half the observed differences in spirometry values between White children and other ethnicities. We investigated whether the Cormic Index of First Nations children differs from White children and if this explains the lower spirometry values of First Nations children.
Methods: First Nations children (n = 619) aged 8–16 years were recruited from nine Queensland communities. Their spirometry and Cormic Index data were compared to that of White children (n = 907) aged 8–16 years from the NHANES III dataset.
Results: FEV1 and FVC of First Nations children was 8% lower for children aged 8–11.9 years and 9%–10% lower for children aged 12–16 years. The Cormic Index was statistically lower in the First Nations 8–11.9 years group (median = 0.515, interquartile range [IQR]: 0.506–0.525) compared with White children (0.519, IQR: 0.511–0.527), and this difference was greater in the 12–16 years group (0.505, IQR: 0.492–0.516; 0.520, IQR: 0.510–0.529). Adjusting for age, sex, and standing height, lower Cormic Index of First Nations children accounts for 14% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 7%–21%) of FEV1 and 15% (95% CI: 8%–21%) of FVC differences in the younger group, and 26% (95% CI: 16%–37%) of FEV1 and 31% (95% CI: 19%–42%) of FVC differences in the older group.
Conclusion: Ethnic differences in Cormic Index partly account for why healthy First Nations Australian children have lower spirometry values than White children. As childhood spirometry values impact adult health, other contributing factors require attention.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 3966-3974 |
| Number of pages | 9 |
| Journal | Pediatric Pulmonology |
| Volume | 56 |
| Issue number | 12 |
| Early online date | Sept 2021 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Dec 2021 |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:AJC is supported by a National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Postgraduate Scholarship (APP2003334). JM reports grants from the Children's Hospital Foundation (RPC0772019) during the conduct of the study. ABC reports grants from the NHMRC (APP1154302) and Children's Hospital Foundation (top‐up #50286); other fees to the institution from work relating to being an IDMC Member of an unlicensed vaccine (GSK), and an advisory member of study design for unlicensed molecule for chronic cough (Merck) outside the submitted work. TB reports grants from the NHMRC during the conduct of the study. MS reports other from Children's Hospital Foundation, and grants from the NHMRC during the conduct of the study.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 Wiley Periodicals LLC
Copyright:
Copyright 2021 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.