Portugal Launches First National Studyโข to Tackle widespread COPD Underdiagnosis
Lisbon,โฃ Portugal – A comprehensive nationwide study of Chronic โObstructive Pulmonary Diseaseโ (COPD) is now underwayโค across mainland Portugal, marking a pivotal moment in the country’s understanding and โขmanagement of this โฃdebilitating โrespiratory illness. Following a prosperous pilotโ phase, the research initiative aims to determine the true impact of COPD on theโ Portuguese population, assess the severity โof the disease, and crucially, pinpoint previously unidentified risk factors contributing to its โdevelopment.
“This is a groundbreaking moment for respiratory health in Portugal,” explains Jorge Ferreira, President of the Sociedadeโฃ Portuguesa de Pneumologia (SPP – Portuguese Society of Pneumology). “For the first time,we will have a robust epidemiological picture of COPD and related respiratory diseases across the country.This study will allow us to investigate the real prevalence โคof these conditions and characterize the individuals most affected, utilizingโฃ a truly innovative methodology.”
The study’s scope extends beyond conventionalโ understandings of COPD causation. Researchers are moving beyond solely attributing the disease to smoking, recognizing the influence of factors presentโฃ from early life.”our evolving understanding of COPD allowsโฃ usโฃ to consider a broader range of influences,” โFerreira stated. “We can now correlate individual โdata, starting from birth, with lung function and the potentialโ development of diseases likeโค COPD. โฃ By including participants as young as 20, we anticipateโฃ uncovering risk factors that have never before been exploredโข in this context, paving theโข way for more effective prevention and earlier intervention strategies.”
The need for โthis researchโ is underscored by โthe significant, yet frequently enough โฃunrecognized, burden of COPD. Currently ranked as the โfourth leading cause โof death globally and theโ fifth in Portugal, COPD remains largely unknown to the Portuguese public. A 2022 SPP survey revealed that over 70%โ ofโฃ the population had never even heard of the disease -โ a progressive condition characterized by difficulty breathing due toโข restricted airflow in โฃthe lungs.
The study will proceed geographically, beginning in theโฃ Northโฃ of Portugal and systematically expanding southward. Researchers plan to โคanalyze โdata from a significant sample of 9,000 participants. โThe findings are anticipated to be available by the end of 2026, promising to reshape โrespiratory healthcare strategies in Portugal for yearsโข to come.
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