Phenotypes of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a heterogeneous disease characterized by incompletely reversible expiratory airflow obstruction.Significant heterogeneity of clinical presentation and disease progression exists in individuals.There is consensus that FEV1 by itself does not adequately describe the complexity of the disease and that FEV1 cannot be used in isolation for the optimal diagnosis,assessment,and management of the disease.However,a clear alternative has not yet been defined.The identification and subsequent grouping of key elements of the COPD syndrome into clinically meaningful and useful subgroups (phenotypes) that can guide therapy more effectively is a potential solution to this dilemma.This review presents the evidence for the spectrum of COPD phenotypes with a focused discussion on the clinical,physiological,radiologie,genetic significance of each subtype. Key words: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; Phenotype