| The World Health Organization considers cigarette smoke as a major risk factor and causal agent of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD); however, smoke from biomass in poorly ventilated environments may be the major causative agent in developing countries. There is little epidemiological evidence of COPD in relation to the use of biomass fuels and altitude of the place of residence, and there is no record of the morphological and physiological characteristics of patients with COPD living at different altitudes. The objective of this research was to compare a) morphological characteristics: weight, height and body mass index (BMI) and b) physiological responses: spirometric record, heart rate, oxygen saturation and hemoglobin concentration in a... |
