Rajat Suri, Daniela Markovic, Han Woo, Mehrdad Arjomandi, R Graham Barr, Russell P Bowler, Gerard Criner, Jeffrey L Curtis, Mark T Dransfield, M Bradley Drummond, Spyridon Fortis, MeiLan K Han, Eric A Hoffman, Robert J Kaner, Joel D Kaufman, Jerry A Krishnan, Fernando J Martinez, Jill Ohar, Victor E Ortega, Robert Paine Iii, Xavier Soler, Prescott G Woodruff, Nadia N Hansel, Christopher B Cooper, Donald P Tashkin, Russell G Buhr, Igor Z Barjaktarevic
RATIONALE: Individuals with COPD have airflow obstruction and maldistribution of ventilation. For those living at high altitude, any gas exchange abnormality is compounded by reduced partial pressures of inspired oxygen. OBJECTIVES: Does residence at higher-altitude exposure affect COPD outcomes, including lung function, imaging characteristics, symptoms, health status, functional exercise capacity, exacerbations, or mortality? METHODS: From the SPIROMICS cohort, we identified individuals with COPD living below 1,000 ft (305 m) elevation (n= 1,367) versus above 4,000 ft (1,219 m) elevation (n= 288)...
March 20, 2024: American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine