title: An Official American Thoracic Society/European Respiratory Society Statement: Research questions in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a leading cause of morbidity, mortality, and resource use worldwide. The goal of this Official American Thoracic Society (ATS)/European Respiratory Society (ERS) Research Statement is to describe evidence related to diagnosis, assessment, and management; identify gaps in knowledge; and make recommendations for future research. It is not intended to provide clinical practice recommendations on COPD diagnosis and management.
  
  
  METHODS
  Clinicians, researchers, and patient advocates with expertise in COPD were invited to participate. A literature search of Medline was performed, and studies deemed relevant were selected. The search was not a systematic review of the evidence. Existing evidence was appraised and summarized, and then salient knowledge gaps were identified.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Recommendations for research that addresses important gaps in the evidence in all areas of COPD were formulated via discussion and consensus.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Great strides have been made in the diagnosis, assessment, and management of COPD as well as understanding its pathogenesis. Despite this, many important questions remain unanswered. This ATS/ERS Research Statement highlights the types of research that leading clinicians, researchers, and patient advocates believe will have the greatest impact on patient-centered outcomes.
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mesh_terms: D035843:Biomedical Research / Q000458:organization & administration*; D005060:Europe; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine / Q000379:methods / Q000458:organization & administration; D006801:Humans; D009937:Organizational Objectives; D011050:Policy Making; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*; D012955:Societies, Medical / Q000458:organization & administration*; D014481:United States