[Source: ScienceDaily] – Americans with lung disease may face a far greater level of lung damage than either they or their doctor suspect, depending on their individual genetic heritage, according to a study to be released July 7. The research implications range from diagnosing the severity of asthma, to disability decisions or eligibility for lung transplants, researchers say.
In the largest study of its kind to date, spanning a dozen research centers and pooling data on more than 3,000 patients, a team of researchers led by UCSF and Northwestern University found that patients’ precise genetic background told far more about their potential lung function — and therefore any damage that has occurred — than the self-identified racial profile commonly used in such tests.
For more information: Genetic Ancestry Data Improve Diagnosis in Asthma and Lung Disease