Smoking is the main risk factor for COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) but genetic factors are of importance, since only a subset of smokers develops the disease. Sex differences have been suggested both in disease prevalence and response to environmental exposures. Furthermore, it has been shown that acquisition of ‘addiction’ to smoking is partly genetically mediated. Disease cases and smoking habits were identified in 44919 twins aged >40 years from the Swedish Twin Registry. Disease was defined as self-reported chronic bronchitis or emphysema, or recurrent cough with phlegm. The results showed that chronic bronchitis seems to be more prevalent among females, and that the heritability estimate for chronic bronchitis was a moderate 40% and only 14% of the genetic influences were shared by smoking. In addition, 392 twins have been invited to a clinical investigation to evaluate: (i) to what extent genetic factors contribute to individual differences (variation) in FEV1 (forced expiratory volume in 1 s), vital capacity and DLCO (diffusion capacity), taking sex into consideration, and (ii) whether smoking behaviour and respiratory symptoms influence these estimates.
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August 2009
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Conference Article|
July 22 2009
Twins studies as a model for studies on the interaction between smoking and genetic factors in the development of chronic bronchitis
Magnus Svartengren;
Magnus Svartengren
1
*Department of Public Health Science, Karolinska Institutet at Norrbacka, SE-171 76 Stockholm, Sweden
1To whom correspondence should be addressed (email magnus.svartengren@ki.se).
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Gunnar Engström;
Gunnar Engström
†Department of Clinical Sciences, Malmö and Lund, University of Lund, Sweden
‡AstraZeneca R&D, Lund, Sweden
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Martin Anderson;
Martin Anderson
*Department of Public Health Science, Karolinska Institutet at Norrbacka, SE-171 76 Stockholm, Sweden
§Department of Clinical Physiology, Stockholm Söder Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
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Jenny Hallberg;
Jenny Hallberg
*Department of Public Health Science, Karolinska Institutet at Norrbacka, SE-171 76 Stockholm, Sweden
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Goutham Edula;
Goutham Edula
‡AstraZeneca R&D, Lund, Sweden
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Maria Gerhardsson de Verdier;
Maria Gerhardsson de Verdier
‡AstraZeneca R&D, Lund, Sweden
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Magnus Dahlbäck;
Magnus Dahlbäck
‡AstraZeneca R&D, Lund, Sweden
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Claes M. Lindberg;
Claes M. Lindberg
‡AstraZeneca R&D, Lund, Sweden
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Kristina Forsman-Semb;
Kristina Forsman-Semb
‡AstraZeneca R&D, Lund, Sweden
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Ulf Nihlén;
Ulf Nihlén
‡AstraZeneca R&D, Lund, Sweden
∥Department of Respiratory Medicine and Allergology, University of Lund, Lund, Sweden
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Thomas E. Fehniger
Thomas E. Fehniger
‡AstraZeneca R&D, Lund, Sweden
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Publisher: Portland Press Ltd
Received:
February 23 2009
Online ISSN: 1470-8752
Print ISSN: 0300-5127
© The Authors Journal compilation © 2009 Biochemical Society
2009
Biochem Soc Trans (2009) 37 (4): 814–818.
Article history
Received:
February 23 2009
Citation
Magnus Svartengren, Gunnar Engström, Martin Anderson, Jenny Hallberg, Goutham Edula, Maria Gerhardsson de Verdier, Magnus Dahlbäck, Claes M. Lindberg, Kristina Forsman-Semb, Ulf Nihlén, Thomas E. Fehniger; Twins studies as a model for studies on the interaction between smoking and genetic factors in the development of chronic bronchitis. Biochem Soc Trans 1 August 2009; 37 (4): 814–818. doi: https://doi.org/10.1042/BST0370814
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