Airway mucus blockage and breathing health in adults
Understanding airway mucus dysfunction in population-based studies
This work looks at whether mucus plugs seen on chest CT scans are linked to breathing symptoms and future COPD in adults from two large community health studies.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Brigham and Women's Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11146505 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This project uses chest CT scans from adults in two long-running U.S. health studies (Framingham and CARDIA) to identify and score mucus plugging in the airways. The researchers will compare those CT findings to lung function tests, symptoms like chronic cough and phlegm, and whether people develop COPD or lose lung function over time. They will also examine modifiable factors such as smoking or air pollution that might be related to mucus plugging. When mucus plugging appears on scans over five years, the team will check if it predicts bigger drops in lung function or future hospital visits.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults (generally age 21 and older) in community health cohorts, especially those with chronic cough, phlegm, or risk factors for COPD, are the most relevant group.
Not a fit: People without airway symptoms, without CT imaging, or whose lung problems are due to non-airway causes may not get direct benefit from this work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could help identify people at higher risk for COPD earlier and point to factors that might be changed to reduce mucus-related lung problems.
How similar studies have performed: Prior studies linking chronic cough and sputum to worse outcomes support the idea, but applying a standardized CT mucus-plugging score across large community cohorts is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
Boston, United States
- Brigham and Women's Hospital — Boston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Diaz, Alejandro — Brigham and Women's Hospital
- Study coordinator: Diaz, Alejandro
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.