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COPD : genetics and environmental interactions
Corhay J-L. , Frusch N. , Louis R.
Rev Med Liege 2012, 67(5-6),292-297Abstract : Smoking is the main environmental risk factorof COPD and accounts for 85% to 90% of COPD. However, 10-15% of COPD patients have never smoked and only a fractionof smokers ever develop COPD. Indeed, genetic and environmental (pollution, occupational and infectious) factors, also influence the risk of developing COPD. Finaly COPD must be considered as the clinical consequence of multiple complex interactions between environmental factors and genetic susceptibility. The latter is not clearly understood, with the exception of alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency. In this article, we present the different aspects of this complex disease which is primarily environmental. Keywords : Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease - Environment - Genetics – Pathogenesis
