An Investigation of the Relationship between 2D:4D and Respiratory Function Parameters.

Abstract

Sex hormones play a key role in the development and maturation of the human body. From functional tissue to anthropometrics, sex hormones and the activation of their receptors are crucial in the development of a foetus into the adult they will eventually become. In utero sex hormones mediate the development of many aspects of a growing body including functional tissue, making them crucial determinants of adult health. Throughout adult life, the activation of sex hormone receptors within functional tissue also attenuates the efficacy with which that tissue performs its functions, giving sex hormones an even more crucial role when determining health. The effects of sex hormones have proven to be especially keen in determining pulmonary health, this has been found to be primarily due to the influence that sex hormones have in determining lung morphogenesis in utero, and determining alveolar quality, and pulmonary smooth muscle elasticity throughout adulthood. The importance of sex hormones has inspired researchers to investigate the links between those hormones and pulmonary health - an area which has proven to be complex and layered beyond what had initially been believed. Owing to the complexity of the issues surrounding the influence of sex hormones on health, researchers turned to investigating the potential of other sex-hormone mediated aspects of development such as anthropometric measurements, as indicators of the effect that sex hormones have had on an individual's health and development. Investigating the links between digit ratio and pulmonary function, this study found that digit ratio can be used to determine the difference between individuals predicted respiratory function parameters and their measured parameters. (Male, FEV1/FVC variance, P = 0.005, R = 0.156; Female, FEV1/FVC variance, P = 0.04, R = 0.044; All, FEV1/FVC variance, P = 0.002, R = 0.03). Throughout the course of this research we consider our findings in the wider scope of research into the effect of sex hormones on adult health, while considering other factors which may be important and therefore conclude that while the links detected between anthropometric measurements and pulmonary function are strong owing to the influence of sex hormones, there are other elements of pulmonary health which ought to be considered before findings in this field of study can translate into clinical practice. Keywords: 2D:4D, sex hormones, respiratory function, development, lung