title: Household aggregation of pulmonary function and chronic bronchitis.
abstract: Persons from 148 randomly selected households in an urban community were screened in their homes using a modified British Medical Research Council respiratory disease questionnaire and a portable spirometer. Analysis showed a significant tendency for chronic bronchitis to aggregate within households. Significant aggregation was observed for 1-sec forced expiratory volume, when measured as the per cent of the predicted value or as a score calculated from the data. The 1-sec forced expiratory volume was significantly correlated between siblings, but less clearly so between spouses. Correlation of 1-sec forced expiratory volume between mother and child appeared to be confounded by maternal smoking habits, an effect most notable between mothers and male offspring. The 1-sec forced expiratory volume of fathers was significantly correlated with that of their children, especially female children, an effect that appeared to be independent of smoking habits.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000402:Airway Obstruction / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics; D001900:Boston; D001991:Bronchitis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000503:physiopathology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D012737:Sex Factors; D012907:Smoking; D013223:Statistics as Topic