American journal of respiratory and critical care medicine
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Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med. · Apr 2017
Menopause is Associated with Accelerated Lung Function Decline.
Menopause is associated with changes in sex hormones, which affect immunity, inflammation, and osteoporosis and may impair lung function. Lung function decline has not previously been investigated in relation to menopause. ⋯ Lung function declined more rapidly among transitional and post-menopausal women, in particular for FVC, beyond the expected age change. Clinicians should be aware that respiratory health often deteriorates during reproductive aging.
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Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med. · Apr 2017
SIgA Deficiency in Individual Small Airways is Associated with Persistent Inflammation and Remodeling.
Maintenance of a surface immune barrier is important for homeostasis in organs with mucosal surfaces that interface with the external environment; however, the role of the mucosal immune system in chronic lung diseases is incompletely understood. ⋯ Our findings support the concept that localized, acquired SIgA deficiency in individual small airways of patients with COPD allows colonizing bacteria to cross the epithelial barrier and drive persistent inflammation and airway wall remodeling, even after smoking cessation.