Lung Function Trajectories Leading to COPD

It is commonly believed that the decline in lung function may be greater in people with already poor lung function than those with normal lung function. Now a study with a relatively large sample size shows that the decline in lung function varies among people and perhaps doesn’t depend on the baseline lung function.

Peter Lange and colleagues used three independent cohorts (Framingham, Copenhagen Heart, Lovelace Smokers) and showed that low FEV₁ in early adulthood is important in the genesis of COPD and that accelerated decline in FEV₁ is not an obligate feature of COPD.