Prevalence and Prognostic Significance of COPD in Adults Younger than 50 Years of Age.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Identification of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) diagnosed before 50 years of age ("young COPD") will help enable the study of preventive and therapeutic interventions for classically diagnosed COPD in later life. However, there remains uncertainty about the definition of young COPD and its prognostic significance.

Methods

We assessed the prevalence of young COPD, defined here as spirometric airflow obstruction plus symptoms of cough, phlegm, and dyspnea or 10 or more pack-years of smoking, among 18-to-49-year-old participants from four pooled, prospective U.S. cohorts. We evaluated the association of young COPD with premature mortality and respiratory and cardiovascular events over follow-up, using multivariable-adjusted proportional hazards models.

SUBMITTER: Diaz AA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12822490 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature