THE AMERICAN LUNG ASSOCIATION IN MICHIGAN
Data Capture Ramps Up for $25M Lung Health Cohort Study
BY SHANKAR MADHAVAN, LOCAL LEADERSHIP BOARD CHAIR OF THE AMERICAN LUNG ASSOCIATION IN MICHIGAN
Historically, lung health has been studied only after the appearance of chronic lung disease. Little has been done, however, to learn about the evolution of respiratory disease and determine how a young, healthy adult’s lung function declines over time. This information could help uncover the key source(s) and potential biomarkers of various lung diseases, perhaps leading to a significant finding like the cholesterol discovery for cardiovascular health. The American Lung Association and Northwestern Medicine have been awarded a $24.8 million National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant to conduct the first federally funded U.S. cohort study of millennials. The American Lung Association Lung Health Cohort will be the largest study ever funded for the Lung Association. Though similar studies have been conducted for heart disease, this is the first ever to examine lung health in such a way that the findings can be translated into actions for preventative care.
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MICHBIO | michbio.org
HERE ARE SOME HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE UPCOMING STUDY: • It will follow 4,000 young adults at the age of peak lung health, from 25 to 35 years old, from 17 different regions across the U.S. This large, geographic cross-section should paint a clear picture of lung health across the nation. • Each participant will be tracked for six years. They’ll provide information on lung function, respiratory symptoms, lifetime residential and occupational histories, health behaviors, fitness, biomarkers, and chest imaging. • This study will use low-dose CT scans to track intermediate stages of lung injury and abnormalities in the participants’ windpipes. • The American Lung Association’s Airways Clinical Research Centers (ACRC) Network will conduct the research, working closely with researchers at Northwestern, Johns Hopkins Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, University of Michigan, University of Alabama-Birmingham, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and all the centers of the ACRC network.
