Body mass index and airway mucus plugs: findings from the COPDGene and ECLIPSE studies

Thorax 2026 Open access

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Authors: Jose Manuel Martinez Manzano, Sofia K. Mettler, Ruchita Borgaonkar, Wei Wang, R. San José Estépar, Raúl San Jośe Estépar, Alejandro A. Díaz
DOI: 10.1136/thorax-2025-224072
Cited by: 1
References: 10

Abstract

Airway-occluding mucus plugs (MPs)-as identified on CT scans-are frequent in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Prior studies have shown that body mass index (BMI) tends to be lower among individuals with MPs. To further investigate this relationship, we assessed whether BMI is associated with MPs in two large, multicentre cohorts of tobacco-exposed participants with and without COPD. In multivariable models, lower BMI was associated with an increased prevalence of MPs in COPD and non-COPD groups. Future studies are warranted to elucidate the mechanisms underlying this association.

Fields of Study & Subjects

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Research Asthma and respiratory diseases Respiratory and Cough-Related Research

Publication details

Journal / source
Thorax
Publisher
BMJ
Pages
thorax–2025
Publication date
23 June 2026
Language
EN