A follow up study reveals that people with asthma are more likely to develop chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in later life.
In chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), there is progressive lung damage which causes difficulty in breathing and increasing disability. Traditionally, COPD and asthma, where the airways are over-reactive, have been regarded as different diseases. A study from the University of Arizona, in the US, suggests they may in fact be linked.
The team looked at a group of over 3,000 subjects of whom 192 currently had asthma, and another 156 had had a diagnosis of asthma at one time. They were followed up for 20 years, with periodic lung function tests to see who developed COPD. Those with active asthma had a 12.5 times increased risk of developing COPD. The reason for this link is unknown but, since those with active asthma tended to die earlier, it’s important that they are monitored and treated. Avoiding exposure to cigarette smoke and environmental pollution could also be important in protecting those with asthma from COPD.
