COPD
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study
Spirometry, rapid FEV1 decline, and lung cancer among asbestos exposed heavy smokers.
We assessed whether spirometric measurements are associated with the development of accelerated FEV(1) decline and lung cancer among active and previous smokers with a wide range of lung function. Bivariate and multivariate analyses that adjusted for age, intervention arm, smoking status at enrollment and smoking history, years exposed to asbestos, and evidence of asbestosis were used to assess whether baseline FEV(1) and FEV(1)/FVC ratio were associated with accelerated FEV(1) decline and incident lung cancer. The 3,041 participants enrolled from 1985 to 1994 were followed through April 30, 2005. ⋯ Baseline FEV(1)/FVC ratio<0.7 was also significantly associated with an increased risk of developing lung cancer, even when baseline FEV(1) was >80%. Lung cancer risk among participants with baseline airflow obstruction and FEV(1)<60% was 4-fold higher than participants without baseline airflow obstruction and FEV(1)>80% (p<0.001), even among former smokers. These data indicate an FEV(1)/FVC<0.7 among smokers is significantly associated with faster airflow loss, and an increased risk for developing lung cancer, even among those individuals with a normal FEV(1).
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Subjects with severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) may have marked differences in emphysema severity on chest computed tomography (CT) scans. Although many patients with severe COPD will have chest CTs performed during their clinical care, chest CTs have not been widely included in epidemiologic and genetic studies of COPD. We sought to determine whether chest CT scans performed for clinical indications can provide useful data in an epidemiologic study of COPD and to determine whether chest CT scans can be used to define subtypes of severe, early-onset COPD. ⋯ Airway-predominant subjects also had a higher frequency of physician-diagnosed asthma (p=0.04) and a trend towards higher serum immunoglobulin E levels (p=0.09). Analysis of siblings of early-onset COPD probands suggested a genetic contribution to the subgroups. Using clinical chest CT scans, we were able to identify an airway-predominant subgroup with asthma-like features among subjects with severe, early-onset COPD.
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Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a highly prevalent airway disease characterized by an abnormal inflammatory response of the lungs to noxious particles and gases. Cigarette smoking remains a major risk factor in COPD development. Accumulating evidence suggests that apoptosis, a regulated form of cell death, may play an important role in COPD pathogenesis. ⋯ Given that cigarette smoking is the most common cause of COPD, identification of the pathways of cigarette smoke-induced apoptosis may further the understanding of COPD pathogenesis. However, apoptosis rate is not diminished after cessation of cigarette smoking, indicating that other mechanisms perpetuate apoptosis in COPD. Therefore, understanding functional relationships between apoptosis and protease/antiprotease imbalance, inflammation, oxidative stress and other factors potentially involved in COPD pathogenesis may uncover crucial therapeutic targets.