COPD as a disease of accelerated lung aging

K Ito, PJ Barnes - Chest, 2009 - Elsevier
There is increasing evidence for a close relationship between aging and chronic
inflammatory diseases. COPD is a chronic inflammatory disease of the lungs, which
progresses very slowly and the majority of patients are therefore elderly. We here review the
evidence that accelerating aging of lung in response to oxidative stress is involved in the
pathogenesis and progression of COPD, particularly emphysema. Aging is defined as the
progressive decline of homeostasis that occurs after the reproductive phase of life is …