Metabolic syndrome, genetic susceptibility, and risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: The UK Biobank Study

Abstract Aim To investigate the effect of metabolic syndrome (MetS), genetic predisposition, and their interactions, on the risk of developing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Methods Cohort analyses included 287 868 participants from the UK Biobank Study. A genetic risk score for COPD was created using 277 single nucleotide polymorphisms. Cox proportional hazard models were used to evaluate the hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for COPD in relation to exposure factors. Results During 2 658 936 person‐years of follow‐up, 5877 incident cases of COPD were documented. Compared with participants without MetS, those with MetS had a higher risk of COPD (HR 1.24, 95% CI 1.17‐1.32). Compared to participants with low genetic predisposition, those with high genetic predisposition had a 17% increased risk of COPD. In the joint analysis, compared with participants without MetS and low genetic predisposition, the HR for COPD for those with MetS and high genetic predisposition was 1.50 (95% CI 1.36‐1.65; P < 0.001). However, no significant interaction between MetS and genetic risk was found. Conclusions Metabolic syndrome was found to be associated with an increased risk of COPD, regardless of genetic risk. It is crucial to conduct further randomized control trials to determine whether managing MetS and its individual components can potentially reduce the likelihood of developing COPD.