ArticleBMJ open respiratory research2017
Environmental triggers of COPD symptoms: a case cross-over study.
Article in BMJ open respiratory research, 2017. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 12 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
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The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
12 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- A Systematic Literature Review of the Humanistic, Economic, Sociodemographic, and Environmental Burden Associated with Severe COPD.International journal of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease · 2025Pooled it
- Integrative multi-omics reveals NQO1-mediated airway epithelial injury as a key mechanism of bisphenol A-induced COPD.Naunyn-Schmiedeberg's archives of pharmacology · 2026Article
- Engagement in Particulate Matter Exposure Reduction Behaviors Across Diverse Clinical Cohorts.Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania) · 2026Article
- Safety and tolerability of astegolimab, an anti-ST2 monoclonal antibody: a narrative review.Respiratory research · 2025Review
- Effects of seasonality and treatment on COPD clinical outcomes: IMPACTERJ open research · 2025Article
- Contextualizing remote fall risk: Video data capture and implementing ethical AI.NPJ digital medicine · 2024Review
- A cross-sectional survey on the effects of ambient temperature and humidity on health outcomes in individuals with chronic respiratory disease.Canadian journal of respiratory therapy : CJRT = Revue canadienne de la therapie respiratoire : RCTR · 2023Article
- Asthma and COPD exacerbation in relation to outdoor air pollution in the metropolitan area of Berlin, Germany.Respiratory research · 2022Article
- Environmental effects on acute exacerbations of respiratory diseases: A real-world big data study.The Science of the total environment · 2022Article
- Temperature Variability and Hospital Admissions for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: Analysis of Attributable Disease Burden and Vulnerable Subpopulation.International journal of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease · 2020Article
- Current and new challenges in occupational lung diseases.European respiratory review : an official journal of the European Respiratory Society · 2017Review
- Validation of the breathlessness, cough and sputum scale to predict COPD exacerbation.NPJ primary care respiratory medicine · 2016Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
5 authors.
Funding
Abstract
introductionThis study investigated the hypothesis that common environmental chemical exposures with known irritant or sensitising properties trigger exacerbations for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
methodsWe conducted a case cross-over study in 168 patients with COPD who were members of a disease management group in central Massachusetts. Participants completed a baseline health survey and several short exposure surveys. Exposure surveys were administered by a nurse when a participant telephoned to report an exacerbation (case periods) and at a maximum of three randomly identified control periods when they were not experiencing an exacerbation. We compared exposures in the week preceding an exacerbation with exposures in normal (non-exacerbation) weeks. The questionnaire assessed short-term (1 week) home, community and workplace activities and exposures that may be associated with COPD exacerbation.
resultsSelf-reported exercise was negatively associated with exacerbation (OR=0.59, 95% CI: 0.35 to 1.00). Among the environmental chemical exposures, car and truck exhaust (OR=4.36, 95% CI: 1.76 to 10.80) and use of scented laundry products (OR=2.69, 95% CI: 1.31 to 5.52) showed strong positive effects. Self-reported respiratory infections were strongly associated with exacerbation (OR=7.90, 95% CI 4.29 to 14.50). Variations in outdoor temperature were associated with COPD exacerbation risk (moderate versus cold temperature OR=1.95, 95% CI 1.09 to 3.49 and warm versus cold OR=0.43, 95% CI: 0.26 to 0.70).
conclusionsThese results suggest that some environmental chemical exposures may play a role in triggering COPD exacerbations. If confirmed, they may provide useful guidance for patients with COPD to better manage their disease.
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Registered trials
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