Second to fourth digit ratio： a predictor of adult lung function

• Published in: Asian journal of andrology 2014-01, Vol.16 (1), p.140-145
• Main Authors: Park, I-Nae, Yum, Ho-Kee, Lee, Sang Chul, Oh, Jin Kyu, Kim, Tae Beom
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aged; airway function; digit ratio; sex hormone; Female; Fingers - anatomy & histology; Forced Expiratory Volume; Humans; Lung - physiopathology; Male; Middle Aged; Original; Republic of Korea; Vital Capacity; 单因素分析; 四位数; 多因素分析; 成人; 比例; 线性回归模型; 肺功能; 预测因子
• ISSN: 1008-682X; 1745-7262
• DOI: 10.4103/1008-682X.122195

Sex and sex hormones play a major role in lung physiology. It has been proposed that the ratio of the second to fourth digits （digit ratio） is correlated with fetal sex hormones. We therefore hypothesized that digit ratio might help predict lung function. We investigated the relationship between digit ratio and pulmonary function test （PFT） findings. A total of 245 South Korean patients （162 male, 83 female） aged from 34 to 90 years who were hospitalized for urological surgery were prospectively enrolled. Before administering the PFTs, the lengths of the second and fourth digits of the right hand were measured by a single investigator using a digital Vernier caliper. In males （n = 162）, univariate and multivariate analysis using linear regression models showed that digit ratio was a significant predictive factor of forced vital capacity （FVC） and forced expiratory volume in I second （FEV1） （FVC： r = 0.156, P = 0.047; FEVI： r = 0.160, P = 0.042）. In male ever-smokers （n = 69）, lung functions （FVC and FEV1） were correlated with smoking exposure rather than digit ratio. In female never-smokers （n = 83）, lung functions （FEV1 and FEVI/FVC ratio） were positively correlated with digit ratio on univariate analysis （FEVI： r = 0.242, P = 0.027; FEVI/FVC ratio： r = 0.245, P = 0.026）. Patients with lower digit ratios tend to have decreased lung function. These results suggest that digit ratio is a predictor of airway function.