The definition of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) as a preventable and treatable condition characterized by a not completely reversible chronic airflow obstruction [1] is so broad and imprecise that many different types of patients with distinct clinical characteristics, prognosis and response to treatments may fit in. These different types are now described as “clinical phenotypes...

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES A new phenotype with overlapping characteristics between asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) called asthma-COPD overlap syndrome (ACOS) is emerging among inflammation diseases. To date, there is no agreement on specific criteria to define this syndrome, and the current guidelines are insufficient to classify the analogy and differences between overl...

Recently, several genes and genetic loci associated with both asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) have been described as common susceptibility factors for the two diseases. In complex diseases such as asthma and COPD, a large number of molecular and cellular components may interact through complex networks involving gene-gene and gene-environment interactions. We sought to u...

Asthma and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) are pulmonary disorders characterized by various degrees of airflow limitation, inflammation and tissue remodeling. Bronchial asthma, an allergic disease that develops in childhood, is physiologically characterized by reversible airflow obstruction. It has an episodic course and a generally favorable prognosis, as it responds well to anti-...

philic overlap observed between asthma and COPD has not yet been conclusively understood. Several reasons may account for overlapping features of asthma and COPD. First, asthma and COPD are common conditions affecting between 5 and 15% of the population each. Therefore, overlap is likely to occur by chance alone. Second, the two conditions may share common origins or risk factors, such as respi...

BACKGROUND Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma may overlap and converge in older people (overlap syndrome). It was hypothesized that patients with overlap syndrome may have different clinical characteristics such as sputum eosinophilia, and better responsiveness to treatment with inhaled corticosteroid (ICS). METHODS Sixty-three patients with stable COPD (forced expiratory...