Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Since inflammation is a feature of COPD, it follows that anti-inflammatory
therapies may have clinical benefit in controlling symptoms, preventing
exacerbations, and slowing the progression of the disease. However, at
variance with asthma, the inflammatory response in COPD appears to
be poorly responsive to the glucocorticosteroids that are effective anti-
inflammatory medications in asthma. Although the clinical, functional,
and inflammatory characteristics are usually markedly different in COPD
and asthma, in clinical practice the differential diagnosis between the two
respiratory conditions may become complex in some subjects with overlap-
ping characteristics. In these cases, the differential diagnosis between COPD
asthma may be difficult but nonetheless important, as the natural history
and the response to pharmacological treatment are different in the two
disease states.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Supported by the Associazione per lo Sudio dei Tumori e delle Malattie
Polmonari (ASTMP), Associazione per la ricerca e Cura dell'Asma
(ARCA), Consorzio Ferrara Ricerche, the Italian Ministry for Education,
University, and Research.
REFERENCES
1. Update of the NHLBI
=
WHO Workshop Report: Global Strategy for Asthma
management and Prevention Issued January 1995: National Institutes of
Health, National Heart Lund and Blood Institute, Bethesda MD, Document
no. 02-3659, Global Initiative for Asthma 2002.
2. Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (GOLD). Global
Strategy for the diagnosis, management and prevention of Chronic Obstructive
Pulmonary Disease: NHLBI
=
WHO Workshop Report, NIH Publication 2701.
April 2001 (Updated 2003). Bethesda: US Department of Health and Human
Services, 2003; Disponibile sul sito http:
==
www.goldcopd.com
=
.
3. Lange P, Parner J, Vestbo J, Schnohr P, Jensen G. A 15-year follow-up study of
ventilatory function in adults with asthma. N Engl J Med 1998; 339:1194-1200.
4. Jeffery PK. Comparison of the structural and inflammatory features of COPD
and asthma. Giles F Filley Lecture Chest 2000; 117:251S-260S.
5. Sutherland ER, Martin RJ. Airway inflammation in chronic obstructive pul-
monary disease: comparisons with asthma. J Allergy Clin Immunol 2003;
112:819-827; quiz 828.
6. Burrows B, Bloom JW, Traver GA, Cline MG. The course and prognosis of
different forms of chronic airways obstruction in a sample from the general
population. N Engl J Med 1987; 317:1309-1314.
7. Kerstjens HA, Brand PL, Hughes MD, et al. A comparison of bronchodilator
therapy with or without inhaled corticosteroid therapy for obstructive airways
