title: Clinical relevance of bronchial anthracofibrosis in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease exacerbation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Bronchial anthracofibrosis (BAF), which is associated with exposure to biomass smoke in inefficiently ventilated indoor areas, can take the form of obstructive lung disease. Patients with BAF can mimic or present with an exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The purpose of the current study was to investigate the prevalence of BAF in Korean patients with COPD exacerbation as well as to examine the clinical features of these patients in order to determine its clinical relevance.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 206 patients with COPD exacerbation were divided into BAF and non-BAF groups, according to computed tomography findings. We compared both clinical and radiologic variables between the two groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients with BAF (51 [25%]) were older, with a preponderance of nonsmoking women; moreover, they showed a more frequent association with exposure to wood smoke compared to those without BAF. However, no differences in the severity of illness and clinical course between the two groups were observed. Patients in the BAF group had less severe airflow obstruction, but more common and severe pulmonary hypertension signs than those in the non-BAF group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Compared with non-BAF COPD, BAF may be associated with milder airflow limitation and more frequent signs of pulmonary hypertension with a more severe grade in patients presenting with COPD exacerbation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Kyungpook National University School of Medicine, Daegu, Korea.
authors.forename: Hyera
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Kyungpook National University School of Medicine, Daegu, Korea.
authors.forename: Seung-Ick
authors.initials: SI
authors.lastname: Cha
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Kyungpook National University School of Medicine, Daegu, Korea.
authors.forename: Kyung-Min
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Kyungpook National University School of Medicine, Daegu, Korea.
authors.forename: Jae-Kwang
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Kyungpook National University School of Medicine, Daegu, Korea.
authors.forename: Serim
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Oh
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Kyungpook National University School of Medicine, Daegu, Korea.
authors.forename: Min Jung
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Kyungpook National University School of Medicine, Daegu, Korea.
authors.forename: Yong Dae
authors.initials: YD
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Kyungpook National University School of Medicine, Daegu, Korea.
authors.forename: Miyoung
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Kyungpook National University School of Medicine, Daegu, Korea.
authors.forename: Jaehee
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Kyungpook National University School of Medicine, Daegu, Korea.
authors.forename: Chang-Ho
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Kim
keywords: Anthracosis; Biomass; Hypertension, Pulmonary; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive; Tomography, Spiral Computed