An observational study in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, sponsored by Brigham and Women's Hospital. Completed at 1 site in United States. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-10-21.
Sponsored by Brigham and Women's Hospital · Observational
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is often caused by cigarette smoking, but genetic predisposition also influences COPD susceptibility. The purpose of this study is to identify genetic factors that predispose some individuals to develop COPD.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which is the third leading cause of death in the United States, affects millions of people around the world. COPD, which can include both emphysema and chronic bronchitis, affects the lungs making it very difficult to breathe. Cigarette smoking is the most common risk factor for developing COPD; however, only 15% to 20% of smokers develop COPD in their lifetimes. The onset of COPD also varies greatly from person to person; while some people do not develop respiratory symptoms until later in life, there are others who develop severe COPD at a very early age. Prior research has led to the discovery of the alpha-1 antitrypsin protein deficiency in association with COPD development. This discovery has generated further interest toward studying other genetic factors which may also affect an individual's likelihood of developing COPD. Therefore, the purpose of the Boston Early-Onset COPD study is to gain a better understanding of COPD risk factors in order to establish new possible methods of treatment for people affected by COPD.
For this study we are enrolling individuals affected with severe COPD (52 years old or younger with an FEV1 \< 40%) and their family members. Each participant will attend one study visit that involves a respiratory questionnaire, a breathing test, and blood draw. This visit can be completed at the participant's home, in the hospital, or by long distance data collection (phone interview, local breathing tests, and local blood draw with mailed samples), whichever is preferred.
5,520 studies on the registry are indexed under Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive; 856 are open to participants now.
This study's planned enrollment of 2,000 is above the median of 158 across 1,497 observational studies indexed under Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive.
Browse Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive studies →Brigham and Women's Hospital is the lead sponsor of 1,267 studies on the registry; 228 are open to participants now.
Of its 116 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 65 (56%) have results posted.
Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.
Severe, early-onset COPD subjects and their relatives
Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.
Exclusion Criteria for Early-Onset Probands:
Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: long-term lung disease that makes it hard to breathe out, including emphysema and chronic bronchitis.
From a breathing test (spirometry): how much air you can blow out in the first second. Often given as a percentage of what is expected for your age, height and sex.
COPD
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: long-term lung disease that makes it hard to breathe out, including emphysema and chronic bronchitis.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
FEV1
From a breathing test (spirometry): how much air you can blow out in the first second. Often given as a percentage of what is expected for your age, height and sex.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Severe, early-onset COPD subjects that bring the family into the study
Relatives of early-onset COPD probands, including first-degree relatives (parents, siblings, and children), second-degree relatives (aunts, uncles, grandparents, half-siblings), spouses, and other affected individuals.
No Primary Outcome
Since this is an observational study, there are no primary outcomes
Time frame: Single Visit for approximately two hours to collect study data and samples
Plan to share: Yes — For subjects approved for data sharing by our IRB, we will release genome sequencing data through dbGaP.
Supporting information: Analytic code
Time frame: dbGaP submission is being performed by TOPMed for eligible subjects. Although TOPMed controls this data release, it typically occurs within six months of data generation.
Access criteria: Approval through dbGaP
From the registry record's own update history. This site started tracking changes on Sep 25, 2026; for anything earlier, see the record history on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
This study is completed, as verified in Oct 2026. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.
Get an email when the registry record changes — status, dates, results — or when someone posts here.
Sign in to followQuestions and observations about this study, from anyone following it. Not medical advice, and not a channel to the study team — their contact details are on the registry record.
Sign in to join the discussion. Reading takes no account; posting does. You choose a display name, and a pseudonym is the default.
Nothing here yet. If you are running this trial, taking part in it, or weighing whether to, this is the place to say so.
Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive →
Brigham and Women's Hospital →