Gender affects chronic lung disease

Women with severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) experience worse shortness of breath and a lower quality of life than their male counterparts. COPD is an umbrella diagnosis for two diseases — emphysema and chronic bronchitis — both of which are characterised by changes that limit airflow. COPD is strongly associated with smoking, and common symptoms include difficulty in breathing, wheezing and a chronic cough. Evidence suggests that women now surpass men in rates of severe COPD, with higher related death rates. In order to better understand the gender differences associated with COPD, researchers from the University of Michigan compared men and women with severe COPD. Their study group included 1,053 patients, of whom nearly 40 per cent were females. Women with the disease had smaller airway openings than men and thicker airway walls. As a result, shortness of breath was more severe in women than in men. Female patients were also more likely than males to experience worse depression and a lower quality of life. Interestingly, the CT scan images revealed that overall COPD lung changes were actually less severe in women. However, further studies are needed to determine how various gender differences influence the manifestations of COPD for proper management of the disease.