Racial and sex differences in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease susceptibility, diagnosis, and treatment.
OBJECTIVE
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is an increasing cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Although COPD has historically been considered a disease of white male smokers, it now clearly impacts both sexes and all races, with mortality rising fastest in women and African-Americans. Given the scarcity of data about non-African-American minorities, this review will focus on the disparities in COPD susceptibility, diagnosis, and treatment between men and women and between African-Americans and whites.


RESULTS
Although the changing epidemiology of COPD in part reflects the changing epidemiology of cigarette smoking, there are data suggesting that women and African-Americans may be particularly susceptible to tobacco smoke and that the diagnosis, treatment, and natural history of the disease are influenced by race and sex.


CONCLUSIONS
The possibility that sex or race or both, may influence COPD susceptibility and progression is of critical importance, and may mean that the potential future impact of the disease has been underestimated. Unfortunately, our understanding of these differences and the efficacy of standard COPD treatments in women and minorities remains limited by the low enrollment in clinical trials.
Kirkpatrick
deNay P
dP
Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1900 University Blvd, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA. mdransfield99@msn.com
Dransfield
Mark T
MT
D001741:Black or African American / Q000208:ethnology; D004198:Disease Susceptibility / Q000208:ethnology*; D005260:Female; D054624:Health Status Disparities; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000628:therapy; D012307:Risk Factors; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D016540:Smoking Cessation; D044465:White People / Q000208:ethnology