The Familial Occurrence of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Two kindred with high incidences of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (emphysema and/or chronic bronchitis) are analyzed. In 1 family 6 out of 11 members had severe symptomatic disease and the other 5 had significant abnormalities characteristic of obstructive disease on pulmonary function testing. In the 2nd kindred 5 out of 6 siblings examined had symptomatic chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, mild in 1 and severe in 4. Although the numbers were small there also appeared to be a correlation with smoking in the 2 families. It is postulated that the susceptibility of some cigarette smokers to develop emphysema may be at least partially genetically determined. A survey of family histories on the chest ward indicated that familial clustering of cases of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease was common.