Respiratory resistance among adults in a population-based cohort study in Northern Japan

Background: Forced oscillation technique (FOT) is a noninvasive method used to measure respiratory system resistance (Rrs) and reactance (Xrs) during quiet breathing, which has been extensively studied in clinical settings. The distribution of measured FOT values was previously assessed in a community-based cohort study. In this study, we aimed to confirm the distribution of measured FOT values in a different cohort in order to investigate the relationship between these values and patient clinical and biological data. Methods: We reviewed FOT data and relevant patient clinical and biological information collected from the Community-Based Cohort Study (CommCohort Study), carried out between 2013 to 2016 as a part of the Tohoku Medical Megabank project (TMM). In total, 16,231 adults were enrolled in the study (Male/Female: 4886/11,345). Results: Significant gender differences were observed in distributions of Rrs and Xrs values at 5 Hz (termed R5 and X5, respectively). R5 values in males were lower than those in females, while X5 values in males were slightly less negative. High R5 values were strongly associated with high BMI, short height, smoking status in males, high serum IgE level, and high peripheral blood eosinophil count. Conclusion: The present distribution values and their relation to clinical and biological data should provide useful insights for clinical settings and serve as a helpful guide in implementing FOT. Forced oscillation technique, respiratory system resistance, respiratory system reactance, gender difference, obesity.