Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease mortality from

Walda I, Tabak C, Smith H, Rasanen L, Fidanza F, Menotti A, Nissinen A, Feskens E and Kromhout D. 2002. Diet and 20-year chronic obstructive pulmonary disease mortality in middle-aged men from three European countries. Eur J Clin Nutr 2002 638—643. 

Airway diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and cystic fibrosis (CF) have been identified as the fifth cause of mortality worldwide (1.4 million deaths annually), and it is expected a growing trend for the coming years [2]. The data provided by the World Health Organization estimate that currently hundreds of millions of people suffer from chronic respiratory diseases 300 million for asthma 80 million with COPD, and millions more suffer the consequences of mild COPD allergic rhinitis and other chronic respiratory diseases. 

Figure 14 Relative risk of mortality in Philadelphia, 1973-1980, associated with 100 ig/m of total suspended material (TSP) analyzed by age and specific cause of death (COPD, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease pneumonia CVP, cardiovascular disease and cancer). (From Ref. 109.)...

---