A new study reveals that emphysema may have a similar impact on African-Americans and Caucasians, despite African-Americans being younger and smoking less. Researchers from Temple University in Philadelphia, PA, analyzed demographics, cardiopulmonary and pulmonary function, quality of life, and emphysema severity in 1,156 Caucasians and 42 African-Americans enrolled in the National Emphysema Treatment Trial. Although African-Americans were younger and smoked less than Caucasians, they presented with comparable impairment in lung function and exercise. Quality-of-life measures also were similar among the two groups, but African-Americans had lower socioeconomic status, lower education level, and fewer were married. The study appears in the July issue of CHEST, the peer-reviewed journal of the American College of Chest Physicians.

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Newsbriefs from the journal CHEST, July 2006

Contact: Jennifer Stawarz
American College of Chest Physicians