Studies have shown that family history is a risk factor for COPD, but have not accounted for family history of smoking. Researchers from Brigham and Women's Hospital, the University of Colorado, and National Jewish Health compared 821 COPD cases with 776 control smokers from the COPD Gene Study, capturing parental smoking and COPD histories, along with environmental tobacco smoke exposure. Their findings noted a strong risk factor for COPD when a family COPD history exists, independent of other factors.
This article is published in the August issue of Chest , the peer-reviewed journal of the American College of Chest Physicians: Chest. 2011;140(2): 343-350.