title: Biomarkers in COPD.
abstract: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a heterogeneous disease that cannot be described by the severity of airflow limitation (forced expiratory volume in the first second of expiration) only. Other measures are needed in clinical practice to assess patients, predict their risk, guide their treatment, and assess their response to it. Over the past few years, there has been a great deal of interest in the identification and validation of biomarkers of potential clinical use in COPD. Here, the authors review some general concepts in the field, discuss currently validated biomarkers in COPD, and speculate on potential future developments.
authors: Thorax Institute, Hospital Clinic, IDIBAPS, Universitat de Barcelona and CIBER Enfermedades Respiratorias (CIBERES), Villarroel 170, 08036 Barcelona, Spain. Electronic address: Alvar.Agusti@clinic.ub.es.
authors: Alvar
authors: A
authors: Agusti
authors: Division of Respirology, Department of Medicine, The Institute for Heart and Lung Health, James Hogg Research Center, St Paul's Hospital, University of British Columbia, 1081 Burrard Street, Vancouver, BC, V6Z 1Y6, Canada.
authors: Don D
authors: DD
authors: Sin
mesh_terms: D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood*; D005340:Fibrinogen / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000175:diagnosis; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis*; D037663:Pulmonary Surfactant-Associated Protein D / Q000097:blood; D014598:Uteroglobin / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D037663:Pulmonary Surfactant-Associated Protein D; C556389:SCGB1A1 protein, human; D005340:Fibrinogen; D014598:Uteroglobin
keywords: Chronic bronchitis; Emphysema; Outcomes; Smoking; Treatment