title: [Epidemiology of chronic obstructive bronchopneumopathies].
abstract: Mortality due to respiratory diseases has been stable in Italy during this century, but this stability seems to be artificial due to TBC and pneumonias mortality decrease and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and cancer mortalities increase. In 1977 COPD morbidity caused 3,000,000 off-days, but these old data probably underestimated the real situation: indeed the greatest mortality is registered, as it is well know, in the elderly subjects (greater than 75 years), and this age was not considered in these data. More recently, a finalized project has been established by the National Research Council (CNR) to obviate poorness of data on COPD epidemiology with particular regard to its morbidity. At the present time, data have not yet been published. COPD appears to affect males more than females, while race does not seem important in COPD distribution. Moreover, a marked increase in respiratory dysfunction is observed with age. Alpha-1-antitrypsin deficit plays a significant role in COPD pathogenesis, while the influence of surface cells antigens and secretory state is still unclear. COPD is more frequent in some families than in general population, as well as in monozygote twins than in dizygote ones. However, the influence of genetically determined predisposition could be overestimated, being COPD frequencies in these cases linked to other risk factors. According to the "Dutch hypothesis" bronchial hyperreactivity is an indispensable condition in COPD pathogenesis, while "British hypothesis" gives more importance to recurrent bronchial inflammation. Some contaminants play an important role in COPD pathogenesis, both in urban (NO2, NO3, SO3) and working environments (coke, etc.). Smoke is the last factor considered in the pathogenesis of COPD.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Musca
authors: I
authors: I
authors: Cammarella
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Tani
authors: G
authors: G
authors: Bruno
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007558:Italy; D008173:Lung Diseases, Obstructive / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics / Q000401:mortality; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking
vernacular_title: Epidemiologia delle broncopneumopatie croniche ostruttive.