new insight into how emphysema and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) develops.
In the Oct. 14th issue of Cell, a Cell Press publication, they also report a promising new way to reverse the lung damage underlying these conditions.
“It has not been very clear what causes the disease and there has been no therapy to stop or reverse lung destruction in emphysema,” said Norbert Weissman of the University of Giessen Lung Center in Germany. “There have really been no new concepts about therapy in the last 20 years.”
It’s not for lack of interest, he said. In fact, COPD, including chronic bronchitis and emphysema, is expected to become the third-greatest cause of death worldwide by the year 2020.
In addition to airway inflammation and decreased respiratory function, COPD is often accompanied by pulmonary hypertension, which is essentially