July 9th, 2008
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This news item is more than a year old. Links, graphics, content, medical information, and statistics may be out of date. We invite you to search, visit our homepage, or contact us to find more current information on the topic you're looking for.Asthma increases risk of lung damage
By André Picard
Globe and Mail
Tuesday, July 13, 2004
People with asthma are 12 times as likely to develop chronic obstructive pulmonary disease as those who do not have asthma, according to a new study.While the two respiratory diseases share symptoms, they have always been considered distinct. But new research suggests that asthma and COPD ''may share a common background'' and asthma may lay the groundwork for the far more serious condition, said Graciela Silva, a researcher at the Respiratory Centre of the University of Arizona in Tucson.
Reference document:
Asthma as a Risk Factor for COPD in a Longitudinal Study
Graciela E. Silva, Duane L. Sherrill, Stefano Guerra, and Robert A. Barbee
Chest. 2004;126:59-65