What is it about?
Smokers with low body mass, and those with immune cells reacting to self proteins could sustain a faster decline in lung function and emphysema in active smokers.
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Why is it important?
New immune-based biomarkers that accurately predict rapid loss of lung function in smokers, could provide new personalized therapy focused on removal of auto reactive cells.
Perspectives
Whether biological or clinical factors could predict disease progression in former or active smokers is unknown. Here we show that the rate of emphysema progression was greater in subjects who had lower body mass index. Further, when compared to former smokers, active smokers with increased cytokine responses to self-antigens showed a higher rate of emphysema progression. Together, these findings indicate that prolonged exposure to smoke could lower the threshold for autoimmune inflammation and provide a new tool for identifying smokers who are predisposed to emphysema progression and could benefit from early intervention.
Dr Farrah Kheradmand
Baylor College of Medicine
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Clinical and Immunological Factors in Emphysema Progression. Five-Year Prospective Longitudinal Exacerbation Study of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (LES-COPD), American Review of Respiratory Disease, November 2015, American Thoracic Society,
DOI: 10.1164/rccm.201504-0736oc.
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