Va ann arbor research published in copd journal | va ann arbor health care | veterans affairs

Research on early COPD progression by Dr. Jeffrey Curtis and Christine Freeman of VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System was recently published in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases, a Journal

from the COPD Foundation. DESIGN OF THE STUDY ON EARLY COPD PROGRESSION: SOURCE STUDY Inhaling toxins or pollutants, especially by smoking cigarettes, can cause chronic obstructive pulmonary

disease (COPD). Only some smokers develop COPD. Why that happens is unknown. Learning why could lead to new treatments for COPD for Veterans. Most studies have recruited only older people

already living with COPD. The published article describes SOURCE, a new study of younger smokers. SOURCE collects questionnaires, lung function testing, chest imaging, and multiple samples

from participants (like blood, urine, and mucus among others). Each participant undergoes 2 study visits 3 years apart. SOURCE is supported by the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute and

the COPD Foundation. Its goal is to discover new information that can be used to develop new treatments.  This project was supported by the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Veterans

Education and Research Association of Michigan (VERAM).