Linkage Analysis of Spirometric Phenotypes and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Abstract

Linkage analysis methods have facilitated successful mapping and identifi-cation of genes for many Mendelian diseases, but the utilization of linkage methods for mapping quantitative traits, such as lung function mea-surements, and complex diseases, such as chronic obstructive pulmonarydisease (COPD), has proved more challenging. This chapter will providea brief introduction to linkage analysis, followed by a discussion of linkageanalysis of pulmonary function measures in the general population and inCOPD families.