The RT‐qPCR analysis revealed that vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (VCAM‐1) and intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM‐1) mRNA expression (Figure 5h,i) was high in the aortic tissue of the AS and COPD + AS groups compared to the control group. This evidence concerns the gene VCAM1 and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.