A patient with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) demonstrates a barrel chest deformity. Which physiological change best explains this structural adaptation?
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A
Chronic air trapping leading to hyperinflation of the lungs
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B
Increased elastic recoil of the lung parenchyma
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C
Hypertrophy of the diaphragm from increased workload
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D
Calcification of the costal cartilages due to aging