Atopy as a Risk Factor for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Susceptibility to cigarette smoke is not universal. Only 10– 15% of smokers go on to develop chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The reasons for this are likely complex and relate primarily to three factors: genetic susceptibility, dose and timing of exposure, and interactions between smoking and other environmental factors of interest in causing the disease. The goal of this article is to consider the epidemiologic data that atopy defined as immediate type II hypersensitivity, and not as clinical asthma, is a risk factor for the development of chronic obstructive lung disease.