Three groups will be included in this study:
* Patients with COPD (cases)
* Patients with smoking history but no COPD (smoking controls)
* Patients with no smoking history and no COPD (non-smoking controls)
An extensive test battery will be performed at baseline and after 3 years:
Clinical assessment (height, weight and blood pressure)\*
Complete pulmonary function ((post-bronchodilator)spirometry + diffusion)\*
Sputum Induction
Fasting venous blood sample (fasting glucose, cholesterol, triglycerides, inflammatory markers, creatinine, NT pro BNP, hemoglobin, testosterone, vitamin D)
Vascular screening (arterial stiffness - arterial stenosis - CIMT)
Muscle force (peripheral + respiratory)\*
Functional exercise capacity (6 MWT)\*\*
Maximal exercise capacity (incremental cycle test)\*\*
Dexa scan (osteoporosis - body composition)
Spiral CT scan of the chest
RX thorax - RX lumbar
Questionnaires (MRC, CCQ, SF-36, EQ5D, HADS, Exacerbation, CATZ)\*\*
Physical activity monitoring (sensewear armband)\*
\* test will be repeated every 6 months
\*\* test will be repeated every year
!!!! Remark (26/9/2013) Based on the last data analyses, in contrast to our expectations, we concluded that the two groups with a smoking history, with or without COPD change in a similar way over time. The length of the study will therefore be prolonged with 3 more years (6 years in total).
After 3 years the patients with a smoking history will be evaluated yearly, unless they were hospitalized for \>5 days. In that case we will sooner contact these patients in order to pick up comorbidities in these patients.!!!
