Abstract:

The chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a chronic pulmonary disease featured by airflow obstruction. The fatality rate of COPD has risen to the fourth among all diseases in the world. The main characteristics are persistent obstruction, chronic inflammation, and remodeling of small airways, which slow down the airflow and weaken the elastic retraction of alveoli. In China, the incidence and fatality rate of COPD rise year by year due to cigarette smoking and air pollution. This paper reviews factors and possible mechanisms of the incidence and development of COPD from perspectives of environmental factors and cellular, sub-cellular, and molecular levels.

Key words: chronic obstructive pulmonary disease； environment； inflammation, damage and repair； oxidative stress