Asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are highly prevalent chronic diseases in the general population. Both are characterized by similar mechanisms: airway inflammation, airway obstruction, and airway hyperresponsiveness. However, the distinction between the two obstructive diseases is not always clear. Multiple epidemiological studies demonstrate that in elderly people with o...

asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (copd) are highly prevalent chronic diseases in the general population. both are characterized by similar mechanisms: airway inflammation, airway obstruction, and airway hyperresponsiveness. however, the distinction between the two obstructive diseases is not always clear. multiple epidemiological studies demonstrate that in elderly people with o...

BACKGROUND Incidence and prognosis for severe asthma-COPD overlap is poorly characterized. We investigated incidence and long-term outcome for patients with asthma-COPD overlap compared to asthma and COPD alone. MATERIALS AND METHODS A total of 57,053 adults (aged 50-64 years) enrolled in the Danish Diet, Cancer, and Health cohort (1993-1997) were followed in the National Patients Registry fo...

PURPOSE The role of systemic inflammation on asthma-COPD overlap syndrome is unknown. This study aimed to examine systemic inflammation in asthma-COPD overlap syndrome, and to identify associations between clinical characteristics and inflammatory mediators in asthma-COPD overlap syndrome. METHODS In 108 adults older than 55 years comprising healthy controls (n=29), asthma (n=16), COPD (n=21)...

The pathophysiological features of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)-asthma overlap are poorly understood and there has been no study of plasma or sputum biomarkers in overlap patients. In order to clarify the similarity and differences between overlap and COPD or asthma, we have investigated four potential biomarkers of COPD: surfactant protein A (SP-A), soluble receptor for advance...

BACKGROUND COPD, asthma, and asthma-COPD overlap increase health care resource consumption, predominantly because of hospitalization for exacerbations and also increased visits to general practitioners (GPs) or specialists. Little information is available regarding this in the primary care setting. OBJECTIVES To describe the prevalence and number of GP and specialist visits for any cause or d...

Individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma are an important but poorly characterised group. The genetic determinants of COPD and asthma overlap have not been studied. The aim of this study was to identify clinical features and genetic risk factors for COPD and asthma overlap. Subjects were current or former smoking non-Hispanic whites or African-Americans with COPD...