Lung development begins in utero and continues through childhood and adolescence, peaking in early adulthood before gradually declining due to physiological aging. Various host and environmental factors influence lung-function development, creating diverse lung-function trajectories in the population. Below-average trajectories are linked to increased risks of respiratory, cardiovascular, metabolic, and mental health conditions, as well as premature death. This review highlights research into lung-function trajectories, emphasizing their potential for early detection of poor lung health, monitoring respiratory disease progression, and promoting overall lung health.
The authors propose using lung-function charts, similar to pediatric height and weight charts, to monitor lung health across the lifespan. A free online tool, the Lung Function Tracker, is introduced to facilitate this approach. The review also addresses the challenges and opportunities of implementing this trajectory-based concept on a population level and outlines key research priorities to advance its clinical and public health applications.
Reference: Melén E, Faner R, Allinson JP, et al. Lung-function trajectories: relevance and implementation in clinical practice. Lancet. 2024;403(10435):1494-1503. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(24)00016-3.
