Small airway disease: A different phenotype of early stage COPD associated with biomass smoke exposure.

Abstract

Chronic exposure to biomass smoke (BS) can significantly compromise pulmonary function and lead to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). To determine whether BS exposure induces a unique phenotype of COPD from an early stage, with different physiopathological features compared with COPD associated with smoking (cigarette-smoke (CS) COPD), we assessed the physiopathology of early COPD associated with BS exposure (BS COPD) by incorporating spirometry, high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) imaging, bronchoscopy and pathological examinations.