Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the lungs, becoming a global health problem with increasing morbidity and mortality. Recent observations indicate that COPD is the fourth cause of mortality in the USA and it is projected to be the fifth burden of morbidity world-wide in the year 2020 according to a consensus report published by the World Health Organisation. COPD is characterized by a slow progression of airflow limitation, which is nearly irreversible. Recently, the Global Initiative on Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) has formulated an official definition; “A disease state characterized by airflow limitation that is not fully reversible. The airflow limitation is usually progressive and associated with an abnormal inflammatory response of the lungs to noxious particles and gases”. One of the major determining factors is tobacco smoking, but it remains to be investigated to what extent other factors such as environmental and occupational exposures and genetic factors can contribute to the disease. Surprisingly, only 10-20 percent of all smokers develop COPD.

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The Dutch Asthma foundation is gratefully acknowledged for their financial support of the work presented in this thesis (Research Grant # 97.73)
P.R. Saxena (Pramod Ranjan)
Erasmus University Rotterdam
hdl.handle.net/1765/39619
Erasmus MC: University Medical Center Rotterdam

Kranenburg, A. (2005, February 9). Role of growth factors and extracellular matrix regulators in airway remodeling in COPD. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/1765/39619