COPD risk Smoking cough often has its origins in childhood

Our childhood has a strong impact on the COPD risk

Researchers have now found that three quarters of all cases of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) can be attributed to childhood exposures. The risk of developing such a disease, for example, increases by diseases such as asthma, bronchitis and pneumonia. The probability is also increased if the parents are smokers.

The researchers at the University of Melbourne found in their recent research that many cases of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease arise through various childhood exposures. The physicians published the results of their study in the English-language journal "The Lancet Respiratory Medicine".

Various childhood factors increase the risk of suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease later in life. (Picture: pathdoc / fotolia.com)

What is a chronic obstructive pulmonary disease?

A so-called chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (also known as smoker's cough) refers to a group of various lung diseases that cause breathing difficulties including emphysema and chronic bronchitis. These complaints mainly affect middle-aged or older adults. Smoking remains the biggest risk factor for COPD. However, the new findings suggest that childhood illnesses such as asthma, bronchitis, pneumonia and smoking by parents also influence the onset of the disease. COPD is often referred to as smoker's cough.

Results could improve the treatment of lung disease

There could be a window of opportunity in childhood in which the risk of poor lung function in later life can be reduced, the researchers speculate. The physicians identified different ways in which lung function changes over the course of life and is associated later in life with different risk factors and disease risks. These findings are particularly important for the prognosis, prevention and treatment of lung diseases.

Physicians examined over 2,400 subjects

The University of Melbourne conducted a total of 2,438 participants who participated in the so-called Tasmanian Longitudinal Health Study. This supervised the subjects from childhood to the age of 53 years. This makes it one of the largest and longest running studies of its kind. Lung function was measured at seven, 13, 18, 45, 50 and 53 years of age, and participants' exposure to various risk factors was also recorded.

Different ways lead to COPD

The authors identified six different ways of describing how lung function changes with age, three of which are associated with COPD. These three pathways included below-average lung function in early life, a rapid decline in lung function later in life, and persistent low or below-average lung function. These three different pathways have been estimated to be associated with approximately three-quarters (75.2 percent overall) of all COPD disorders at the age of 53.

In addition, the mentioned pathways were also associated with childhood asthma, bronchitis, pneumonia, allergic rhinitis, eczema, asthma diseases of the parents and their tobacco use, explain the experts. The risk factors for children are important indicators of COPD risk, which would be exacerbated by smoking and asthma in adulthood, say the authors. This increased the damage already caused by childhood risk factors and may lead to a faster decline in lung function.

People with asthma should be treated appropriately

It is important that parents reduce smoking and promote immunization to promote healthy lung function. Thus, the COPD risk can be minimized, especially for people with low lung function in childhood or smoking parents. In the best case, the parents should quit smoking. All people with asthma should also receive appropriate treatment, as this can be crucial for maintaining lung function, the researchers explain.

COPD will be the third leading cause of death worldwide in 2030

These results underscore the importance of prevention in both early life exposures, which can lead to poorer lung growth, and in adult risk factors that contribute to accelerated lung wastage, says study author Professor Shyamali Dharmage of the University of Melbourne. COPD is expected to be the third leading cause of death worldwide by 2030. "It's important that we identify the most important causes so that this burden can be reduced," adds the expert.

Second study included 2,632 subjects

In a second study, 2,632 participants from birth to 24 years of age were medically monitored and lung function was measured. It was found that about three-quarters of infants with poor lung function at one to six months of age showed improvement in lung function throughout childhood, indicating a possible window of opportunity, increasing lung function and thus COPD risk is reduced in later life. The authors of the study say that these proposed interventions to maximize lung growth in early childhood could alter the risk of COPD in older age. (As)