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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2024 Sep 27.
Published in final edited form as: Lancet Respir Med. 2022 Apr 12;10(5):512–524. doi: 10.1016/S2213-2600(21)00555-5

Figure 1: Potential lung function trajectories, opportunities for intervention, and research questions.

Figure 1:

(A) Normal, below normal, and supranormal lung function trajectories are shown, with the possibility of catch-up during development and accelerated decline leading to premature death in adulthood, at least in those with reduced peak lung function. Abnormal lung development and accelerated lung function decline can lead to COPD. Reproduced from Agustí and Faner,22 by permission of Elsevier. (B) Risk or protective factors associated with lung function trajectories and the development of COPD could be targeted to improve lung function and reduce the risk of COPD. Strategies for risk modification during childhood and adolescence, adulthood, and later life are shown, with questions that need to be addressed to identify new therapeutic targets and develop new strategies for improved lung health and the prevention of COPD. COPD=chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.