PT - JOURNAL ARTICLE AU - S.T. Weiss AU - D.L. DeMeo AU - D.S. Postma TI - COPD: problems in diagnosis and measurement AID - 10.1183/09031936.03.00077702 DP - 2003 Jun 01 TA - European Respiratory Journal PG - 4s--12s VI - 21 IP - 41 suppl 4099 - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/21/41_suppl/4s.short 4100 - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/21/41_suppl/4s.full SO - Eur Respir J2003 Jun 01; 21 AB - Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the most rapidly rising cause of death in individuals >65 yrs of age, the most rapidly growing segment of the USA population. Advancing the clinical research agenda for COPD entails careful consideration of several issues and problems: defining COPD, reliance on physiological testing, outcome measurements and comorbidities. In addition, issues pertaining to the recent dramatic increase in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease mortality in females, smoking susceptibility and the relationship of respiratory symptoms with hyperresponsiveness, as well as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease heterogeneity, are discussed.