Key points
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While some diseases, such as cystic fibrosis, are almost wholly genetic, genetic factors play a role in making us more or less vulnerable to the whole spectrum of respiratory disease.
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The search for genetic links to disease is two-pronged: linkage studies begin with a disease and look for genes associated with it, while association studies begin with polymorphisms or mutations, and look for associations with disease.
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Several genes have been identified that influence susceptibility to both asthma and COPD, reflecting similarities in disease presentation between the two conditions.
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Nondisease traits that influence respiratory health, such as tendency to nicotine addiction, and lung function, have also been related to genetic variations.
See the entire Genetic Susceptibility Chapter