Summary
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), a major public health problem, is estimated to be the sixth leading cause of chronic morbidity and mortality worldwide. Despite the recognition of COPD as an important international health problem, COPD has become an object of neglect for a long time among common diseases, with little investment in research on its underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms. However, throughout the last decade the number of investigations regarding this major field of pneumology is increasing. This short review attempts to highlight the updates on COPD.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Buist AS, McBurnie MA, Vollmer WM, et al. International variation in the prevalence of COPD (the BOLD study): a population-based prevalence study. Lancet 2007;370(9589):741–50
Schirnhofer L, Lamprecht B, Vollmer WM, et al. COPD prevalence in Salzburg, Austria: results from the Burden of Obstructive Lung Disease (BOLD) study. Chest 2007;131(1): 29–36
de Torres JP, Cordoba-Lanus E, Lopez-Aguilar C, et al. C-reactive protein levels and clinically important predictive outcomes in stable COPD patients. Eur Respir J 2006;27(5):902–7
Yende S, Waterer GW, Tolley EA, et al. Inflammatory markers are associated with ventilatory limitation and muscle dysfunction in obstructive lung disease in well functioning elderly subjects. Thorax 2006;61(1):10–6
Dahl M, Vestbo J, Lange P, et al. C-reactive protein as a predictor of prognosis in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2007;175(3):250–5
Morimoto K, Janssen WJ, Fessler MB, et al. Lovastatin enhances clearance of apoptotic cells (efferocytosis) with implications for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. J Immunol 2006;176(12):7657–65
Frost FJ, Petersen H, Tollestrup K, et al. Influenza and COPD mortality protection as pleiotropic, dose-dependent effects of statins. Chest 2007;131(4):1006–12
Calverley, PM, Anderson JA, Celli B, et al. Salmeterol and fluticasone propionate and survival in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. N Engl J Med 2007;356(8):775–89
Celli B, Ferguson GT, Anderson JA, et al. Salmeterol/fluticasone propionate improves lung function and reduces the rate of decline over three years in the TORCH survival study. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2007;175(A763)
Ferguson GT, Calverley PM, Anderson JA, et al. Effect of salmeterol/fluticasone propionate on bone mineral density and eye disorders over three years on the TORCH trial. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2007;175(A763)
Wedzicha JA, Calverley PM, Seemungal TA, et al. The prevention of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease exacerbations by salmeterol/fluticasone propionate or tiotropium bromide. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2008;177(1):19–26
The Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD). Evidence-based guidelines for COPD diagnosis, management, and prevention with citations from the scientific literature 2007. http://goldcopd.com/
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Desole, S., Kähler, C. Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). memo 1 (Suppl 3), 3–6 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12254-008-0040-3
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12254-008-0040-3