Genetic variation could predict the risk of developing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), according to the results of a study published in the medical journal Nature Genetics.
Smoking is a significant risk factor for COPD, but not all people affected by this disease are smokers, and not all cigarette addicts develop the disease. Much of it has a genetic cause. This new study sought to uncover genetic variation in individuals who have a high risk of developing this lung disease.
43 new gene variations associated with COPD
By comparing 24 million genetic variants, scientists from 14 countries, led by a team from the University of Leicester and the University of Nottingham in the UK, were able to identify the genes that predict the risk of developing chronic lung disease. obstructive (COPD).
They identified 43 new gene variations associated with the risk of developing COPD. By nearly doubling the number of genetic variants linked to the disease, they found that people in the highest risk group are almost four times more likely to develop this bronchitis than those in the lowest risk group.
They observed that individuals in the highest risk group were at 3.7 times the risk of developing COPD than those in the lowest risk group.
Because the smokers already have a higher risk of developing COPD, this could mean that 72 out of 100 smokers in the genetically high risk group will develop this disease later in life.
“Our results indicate the proteins that will help guide the development of new drugs and proteins that are targets for drugs already tested for different diseases. This could be a new way to improve treatments for COPD,” says Professor Martin Tobin of the University of Leicester.
“Thanks to this work, we can now better predict who will develop the COPD, which opens up the possibility of using this information in prevention (such as targeting cessation services smoking). This genetic information guides future treatments, including the development of new drugs as well as the reuse of drugs already tested for different diseases “, concludes the researcher.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD): third leading cause of death in the world
In France, 40,000 new patients are declared each year. And 3.5 million people are affected in France, including 100,000 patients on oxygen at home. This disease causes 16,000 deaths each year. It is the third most common cause of death in the world.
#BPCO > Today, two thirds of people with the disease ignore it #Preventionhttps://t.co/i5yCn3uWI4
– COPD (@asso_bpco) February 6, 2017
Read also:
Testimonial: I have suffered from COPD for 15 years without ever having heard this word
Chronic bronchitis: the obvious signs
COPD: too many patients ignore their disease
