When reporting the findings on CT scans of chest, radiologists have been reporting the presence of mucous plugs more often. Initially, the clinical significance of these findings was not apparent and considered a natural finding in patients with chronic lungs diseases such as COPD. These diseases are associated with increased mucous production and the fact that some airways may contain plugs of mucous seemed easy to explain.
What has been found more recently is that patients without lung disease or, at least no significant lung disease, had similar findings, that is, mucous plugging. Researchers are now looking into the possibility that disorders of mucous production may be affecting the action of the small hairlike structures called cilia normally found on the surface of our airways which are designed to move the mucous centrally so we can cough it out. Sure enough it has been found that there are certain genetic abnormalities of mucous production associated with increased mucous plugging.
The take away from the finding of a possible link between mucous production and mucous plugging is that patients who have never smoked and do not have COPD to begin with may over time develop lung problems due to these genetic defects. Coupled with the fact that patients may also have problems with ciliary function, this may be the mechanism for patients to develop a COPD like picture even if they had never smoked.
The end result of this research may be new treatments for patients developing COPD.
