title: Obstructive lung diseases: COPD, asthma, and many imitators.
abstract: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a common respiratory disorder that occurs in 10% to 15% of people who smoke, an estimated 16 million Americans. Asthma is also common. Spirometry is generally used to detect early COPD in smokers and to evaluate patients with respiratory symptoms. Although COPD and asthma account for most obstructive lung diseases, a broad spectrum of other disorders, including bronchiectasis, upper airway lesions, bronchiolar diseases, and some interstitial lung diseases, are associated with airflow obstruction. These less common forms of obstructive lung diseases are often misdiagnosed because of their uncommon occurrence and poor recognition. We describe the heterogeneous spectrum of disorders that can present with evidence of airflow obstruction and outline a diagnostic approach to obstructive lung disease.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine and Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn 55905, USA.
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Ryu
authors.forename: P D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Scanlon
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000402:Airway Obstruction / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D001249:Asthma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008176:Lung Volume Measurements; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects*; D013147:Spirometry; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology