Factors That Affect the Development of COPD Symptoms

COPD is a chronic lung disease in which the lungs' airways and balloon-like air sacs, called
alveoli, are damaged, lose their shape, and become floppy. As a result, they cannot fully
inflate to allow the maximum amount of air through. COPD is usually the result of many years
of cigarette smoking. Breathing in other kinds of lung irritants, such as pollution, dust, or
chemicals, over a long period of time may also cause or contribute to COPD. Some people with
COPD have an excess of mucus in their lungs, possibly caused by an overactive immune
response, which can lead to coughing and shortness of breath. Although cigarette smoking
seems to make this symptom worse, researchers are not sure why it occurs in some people and
not others. This study will examine and compare blood and lung tissue samples from smokers
and nonsmokers with and without COPD to determine what physiological differences,
environmental factors, genes, and biomarkers contribute to the development of and symptoms
associated with COPD.

Before their scheduled lung resection surgery, participants in this study will attend one
study visit. It will last approximately 1 to 2 hours and will consist of answering questions
about medical history, filling out health questionnaires, and providing a blood sample. After
the surgery, study researchers will take the lung tissue that was removed and examine it in a
laboratory. Participants will be contacted by study staff if, when examining the lung tissue,
researchers discover that a participant has a medical disorder that current treatment can
stop or improve. Also, participants will be contacted at the end of the study to answer brief
questions about their health.

Inclusion Criteria:

- Ability to read and write in English

- Able to participate in the informed consent process

- Planned lung resection at BJH

- Acceptable pulmonary function tests done at BJH within 1 month of enrollment

- Acceptable chest CT scan done at BJH within 3 years of enrollment

Exclusion Criteria:

- Pregnant

- Prisoner

- Vulnerable populations

- Clinically significant lung disease other than COPD and the indication for resection
(e.g., cystic fibrosis, bronchiectasis, obliterative bronchiolitis, airway lesion)

- Coexisting active chronic inflammatory or collagen vascular disease, immune deficiency
of any kind, or previous organ transplant

- Known active hepatitis B, hepatitis C, or HIV/AIDS (not prospectively evaluated)

- Systemic chemotherapy within past 1 month (30 days)

- Hematologic malignancy or thoracic radiation within past year