TY - JOUR T1 - Biomarkers in COPD: the search continues! JF - European Respiratory Journal JO - Eur Respir J SP - 872 LP - 874 DO - 10.1183/09031936.00236314 VL - 45 IS - 4 AU - David M. Mannino Y1 - 2015/04/01 UR - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/45/4/872.abstract N2 - In a working group of the National Institutes of Health focusing on biomarkers and surrogate end-points, a biomarker was defined as a “characteristic that is objectively measured and evaluated as an indicator of normal biologic processes, pathogenic processes, or pharmacologic responses to a therapeutic intervention” [1]. In the same document, the National Institutes of Health defined a clinical end-point as “a characteristic or variable that reflects how a patient feels, functions, or survives” and a surrogate end-point as a “biomarker that is intended to substitute for a clinical endpoint. A surrogate endpoint is expected to predict clinical benefit (or harm or lack of benefit or harm) based on epidemiologic, therapeutic, pathophysiologic, or other scientific evidence” [1].Biomarkers accurately assessing disease activity and response to therapy are needed to develop better COPD treatment http://ow.ly/HHPKl ER -