Multivariate analyses adjusting for potential confounders, including age, sex, smoking status, baseline FEV1, coronary artery disease, and body mass index, confirmed that the associations remained significant (decline in 6MWD, −19 m per fold change in IFN-γ; P = 0.026, and, −26 m per fold change in IL-6; P = 0.003). The gene discussed is IL6; the disease is coronary artery disorder.