TY - JOUR
T1 - Early-life origins of chronic respiratory diseases
T2 - Understanding and promoting healthy ageing
AU - Carraro, Silvia
AU - Scheltema, Nienke
AU - Bont, Louis
AU - Baraldi, Eugenio
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2014 ERS.
PY - 2014/12/1
Y1 - 2014/12/1
N2 - Chronic obstructive respiratory disorders such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease often originate early in life. In addition to a genetic predisposition, prenatal and early-life environmental exposures have a persistent impact on respiratory health. Acting during a critical phase of lung development, these factors may change lung structure and metabolism, and may induce maladaptive responses to harmful agents, which will affect the whole lifespan. Some environmental factors, such as exposure to cigarette smoke, type of childbirth and diet, may be modifiable, but it is more difficult to influence other factors, such as preterm birth and early exposure to viruses or allergens. Here, we bring together recent literature to analyse the critical aspects involved in the early stages of lung development, going back to prenatal and perinatal events, and we discuss the mechanisms by which noxious factors encountered early on may have a lifelong impact on respiratory health. We briefly comment on the need for early disease biomarkers and on the possible role of ''-omic'' technologies in identifying risk profiles predictive of chronic respiratory conditions. Such profiles could guide the ideation of effective preventive strategies and/or targeted early lifestyle or therapeutic interventions.
AB - Chronic obstructive respiratory disorders such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease often originate early in life. In addition to a genetic predisposition, prenatal and early-life environmental exposures have a persistent impact on respiratory health. Acting during a critical phase of lung development, these factors may change lung structure and metabolism, and may induce maladaptive responses to harmful agents, which will affect the whole lifespan. Some environmental factors, such as exposure to cigarette smoke, type of childbirth and diet, may be modifiable, but it is more difficult to influence other factors, such as preterm birth and early exposure to viruses or allergens. Here, we bring together recent literature to analyse the critical aspects involved in the early stages of lung development, going back to prenatal and perinatal events, and we discuss the mechanisms by which noxious factors encountered early on may have a lifelong impact on respiratory health. We briefly comment on the need for early disease biomarkers and on the possible role of ''-omic'' technologies in identifying risk profiles predictive of chronic respiratory conditions. Such profiles could guide the ideation of effective preventive strategies and/or targeted early lifestyle or therapeutic interventions.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84916237256&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1183/09031936.00084114
DO - 10.1183/09031936.00084114
M3 - Article
C2 - 25323240
AN - SCOPUS:84916237256
SN - 0903-1936
VL - 44
SP - 1682
EP - 1696
JO - European Respiratory Journal
JF - European Respiratory Journal
IS - 6
ER -