Studies have re-established strong links between non-obstructive chronic bronchitis and increased mortality risk in current as well as former smokers. The latest review and meta analysis of several studies on chronic bronchitis by a team led by Dr Spyridon Fortis, clinical associate professor at Department of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Occupational Medicine at University of Iowa, revealed that it was associated with all-cause mortality in smokers without any significant heterogeneity. Dr Fortis and team also wrote in their review published in Chest that they analysed eight articles that included chronic bronchitis and mortality in the title and found that the condition was associated with increased mortality among current smokers but not among newer smokers  with moderate heterogeneity.