Imagine your lungs are like a tree. They have big branches that split into smaller branches, which we call airways.
Normally, as a person grows, these airways grow in size along with the lungs.
But for some people, their airways remain small while their lungs continue to grow. This condition is called dysanapsis.
A new study shows that this condition could increase the risk of some serious health problems.
The Link Between Dysanapsis and Health Risks
People with dysanapsis may have a higher risk of dying from three diseases: chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), lung cancer, and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD).
COPD is a type of lung disease that makes it hard to breathe. ASCVD is a disease that can cause heart attacks and strokes. These diseases are often linked to smoking and exposure to air pollution.
Researchers have noticed these links in smokers before, but this is the first time a link has been found in non-smokers as well.
This is according to Benjamin Smith, one of the lead authors of the study. He works at the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre.
What the Study Showed
The study involved over 6,500 people from different ethnic backgrounds in the United States. These people were part of a long-term health study that started in 2000.
The researchers looked at the size of the participants’ airways compared to their lungs, and sorted them into four groups.
Over the study period, 1,635 people died. The causes of death included ASCVD, lung cancer, and COPD.
The study found that the people with the smallest airways compared to their lungs had the highest death rates. This was true for both people who had never smoked and those who had.
What This Means
These findings suggest that having small airways relative to lung size is not only due to smoking. It could be a trait that a person is born with, which could make them more likely to die from certain diseases.
This is the first study of its kind to look at the relationship between airway size and death rates in the general population, including non-smokers.
Smith suggests that these findings could lead to new ways to understand and promote lung health throughout a person’s life.
In other words, it’s a reminder that not all lungs are the same, and this could affect how they react to harmful substances in the air, like smoke and pollution.
In conclusion, it’s clear that more research is needed. But this study gives us valuable insight into how our lungs’ structure could impact our health.
If you care about cancer, please read studies about the cause of lung cancer in never smokers, and aspirin could cut cancer death by 20%.
For more information about cancer prevention, please see recent studies about antibiotics linked to higher colon cancer risk, and results showing what you need to know about supplements and cancer.
The study was published in the European Respiratory Journal.
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