HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in ISI Web of Science Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via ISI Web of Science (1) Google Scholar Articles by Fabbri, L. M. Articles by Rabe, K. F. PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Fabbri, L. M. Articles by Rabe, K. F.

Complex chronic comorbidities of COPD

¹ Dept of Oncology, Haematology and Respiratory Diseases, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, and ² Dept of Pulmonology, Leiden University Medical Center, The Netherlands.

CORRESPONDENCE: L. M. Fabbri, Dept of Oncology, Haematology and Respiratory Diseases, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Via del Pozzo 71, 41100 Modena, Italy. Fax: 39 0594224231. E-mail: fabbri.leonardo{at}unimore.it

Keywords: Bronchitis, chronic diseases, chronic heart failure, emphysema, inflammation, metabolic syndrome

Received: August 31, 2007
Accepted September 11, 2007

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is defined by fixed airflow limitation associated with an abnormal pulmonary and systemic inflammatory response of the lungs to cigarette smoke.

The systemic inflammation induced by smoking may also cause chronic heart failure, metabolic syndrome and other chronic diseases, which may contribute to the clinical manifestations and natural history of COPD. Thus COPD can no longer be considered a disease only of the lungs, as it is often associated with a wide variety of systemic consequences.

A better understanding of the origin and consequences of systemic inflammation, and of potential therapies, will most likely lead to better care of patients with COPD. Medical textbooks and clinical guidelines still largely ignore the fact that COPD seldom occurs in isolation.

As the diagnosis and assessment of severity of COPD may be greatly affected by the presence of comorbid conditions, the current authors believe that lung function measurement, noninvasive assessment of cardiovascular and metabolic functions, and circulating inflammatory markers (e.g. C-reactive protein) might help to better characterise these patients. Similarly, preventive and therapeutic interventions should address the patient in their complexity.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				W. MacNee Update in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease 2007 Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med., April 15, 2008; 177(8): 820 - 829. [Full Text] [PDF]