Mucus Plugs in Airways of COPD Patients Linked to Higher Mortality
WASHINGTON — Mucus plugs obstructing the airways of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) were associated with higher all-cause mortality compared with no mucus plugs, according to an observational retrospective analysis. Over a median 9.5-year follow-up, mortality rates were 34.0%, 46.7%, and 54.1% in patients who had mucus plugs in zero, one to two, […]
Smaller Airways Set the Stage for Worse COPD Outcomes in Women
Smaller airways in women may explain their worse respiratory outcomes in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a large cohort study suggested. For never-smokers and ever-smokers alike, CT imaging revealed that men had thicker airway walls than women, who also had smaller airway lumen dimensions after accounting for height and total lung capacity. “It is plausible […]