( sease are due to factors such as the en...)African Americans Have Increased Risk Of Emphysema,Health

sease are due to factors such as the environment, socioeconomic status or health care disparities," says Chatila.

The researchers acknowledge that such issues may play an important part in the development and onset of the disease and further, that a much higher proportion of African Americans will need to be studied before resolving issues of race and environment that might influence emphysema risks and outcomes.

The Temple team examined 1198 patients with severe or very severe emphysema who were enrolled in the National Emphysema Treatment Trail (NETT). Severity, distribution and physiologic impact of emphysema in both groups were determined using cardiopulmonary function tests, quantitative computed tomography (CT) of the chest, and a quality of life questionnaire.

Forty-two participants were African Americans (3.4%), compared to 1156 (95%) Caucasians. However, when matched in respect to age, height, smoking and pulmonary function, researchers were still surprised to find differences in how the disease progressed in the two races, in particular that African Americans were younger and smoked less than whites.

The report notes that while "few doubt the answer lies in the complex genotype- environment interaction, the extent to which each factor plays a role in the development of emphysema remains enigmatic."

Chatila, whose interest in this area of research originated when he and his colleagues noticed that African American patients were presenting with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) that was often under treated and misdiagnosed, has already begun to explore the cellular differences and inflammation in patients with emphysema to see if these can explain some of the differences observed in the study.

Contact: Eryn Jelesiewicz dobeck@temple.edu 215-707-0730 Temple University Source: Eurekalert
'"/>




Page: 1 2
Related medicine news :

1. Cipla holds talks with mining giant to supply AIDS drugs for South African workers
2. African HIV strains more resistant to anti HIV drugs
3. Hypertension Drug of Choice for African Americans
4. African Conference to Combat AIDS
5. Home Based HIV counseling in African Countries
6. Aspirin, Not Used By African Americans And Diabetics To Prevent Heat Problems
7. African American smokers are more prone to developing Lung cancer
8. The AIDS Pandemic May Orphan 18 Million African Children By 2010
9. African American Children More Pone to Develop Diabetes
10. African-American Women Need To Seek Advice On depression
11. Advance Funeral For AIDS-infected South African