title: An official American Thoracic Society/European Respiratory Society statement: research questions in COPD.
abstract: 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. 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 summarised, and then salient knowledge gaps were identified. Recommendations for research that addresses important gaps in the evidence in all areas of COPD were formulated via discussion and consensus. 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-centred outcomes.
authors.affiliation: Further details of this ATS/ERS Task Force for COPD Research can be found in the acknowledgements section.
authors.forename: Bartolome R
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Celli
authors.affiliation: Further details of this ATS/ERS Task Force for COPD Research can be found in the acknowledgements section.
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Decramer
authors.affiliation: Further details of this ATS/ERS Task Force for COPD Research can be found in the acknowledgements section.
authors.forename: Jadwiga A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Wedzicha
authors.affiliation: Further details of this ATS/ERS Task Force for COPD Research can be found in the acknowledgements section kwilson@thoracic.org.
authors.forename: Kevin C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.affiliation: Further details of this ATS/ERS Task Force for COPD Research can be found in the acknowledgements section.
authors.forename: Alvar A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Agustí
authors.affiliation: Further details of this ATS/ERS Task Force for COPD Research can be found in the acknowledgements section.
authors.forename: Gerard J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Criner
authors.affiliation: Further details of this ATS/ERS Task Force for COPD Research can be found in the acknowledgements section.
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: MacNee
authors.affiliation: Further details of this ATS/ERS Task Force for COPD Research can be found in the acknowledgements section.
authors.forename: Barry J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Make
authors.affiliation: Further details of this ATS/ERS Task Force for COPD Research can be found in the acknowledgements section.
authors.forename: Stephen I
authors.initials: SI
authors.lastname: Rennard
authors.affiliation: Further details of this ATS/ERS Task Force for COPD Research can be found in the acknowledgements section.
authors.forename: Robert A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Stockley
authors.affiliation: Further details of this ATS/ERS Task Force for COPD Research can be found in the acknowledgements section.
authors.forename: Claus
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Vogelmeier
authors.affiliation: Further details of this ATS/ERS Task Force for COPD Research can be found in the acknowledgements section.
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Anzueto
authors.affiliation: Further details of this ATS/ERS Task Force for COPD Research can be found in the acknowledgements section.
authors.forename: David H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Au
authors.affiliation: Further details of this ATS/ERS Task Force for COPD Research can be found in the acknowledgements section.
authors.forename: Peter J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Barnes
authors.affiliation: Further details of this ATS/ERS Task Force for COPD Research can be found in the acknowledgements section.
authors.forename: Pierre-Regis
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Burgel
authors.affiliation: Further details of this ATS/ERS Task Force for COPD Research can be found in the acknowledgements section.
authors.forename: Peter M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Calverley
authors.affiliation: Further details of this ATS/ERS Task Force for COPD Research can be found in the acknowledgements section.
authors.forename: Ciro
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authors.lastname: Casanova
authors.affiliation: Further details of this ATS/ERS Task Force for COPD Research can be found in the acknowledgements section.
authors.forename: Enrico M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Clini
authors.affiliation: Further details of this ATS/ERS Task Force for COPD Research can be found in the acknowledgements section.
authors.forename: Christopher B
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Cooper
authors.affiliation: Further details of this ATS/ERS Task Force for COPD Research can be found in the acknowledgements section.
authors.forename: Harvey O
authors.initials: HO
authors.lastname: Coxson
authors.affiliation: Further details of this ATS/ERS Task Force for COPD Research can be found in the acknowledgements section.
authors.forename: Daniel J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Dusser
authors.affiliation: Further details of this ATS/ERS Task Force for COPD Research can be found in the acknowledgements section.
authors.forename: Leonardo M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Fabbri
authors.affiliation: Further details of this ATS/ERS Task Force for COPD Research can be found in the acknowledgements section.
authors.forename: Bonnie
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Fahy
authors.affiliation: Further details of this ATS/ERS Task Force for COPD Research can be found in the acknowledgements section.
authors.forename: Gary T
authors.initials: GT
authors.lastname: Ferguson
authors.affiliation: Further details of this ATS/ERS Task Force for COPD Research can be found in the acknowledgements section.
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fisher
authors.affiliation: Further details of this ATS/ERS Task Force for COPD Research can be found in the acknowledgements section.
authors.forename: Monica J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Fletcher
authors.affiliation: Further details of this ATS/ERS Task Force for COPD Research can be found in the acknowledgements section.
authors.forename: Maurice
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authors.lastname: Hayot
authors.affiliation: Further details of this ATS/ERS Task Force for COPD Research can be found in the acknowledgements section.
authors.forename: John R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Hurst
authors.affiliation: Further details of this ATS/ERS Task Force for COPD Research can be found in the acknowledgements section.
authors.forename: Paul W
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.affiliation: Further details of this ATS/ERS Task Force for COPD Research can be found in the acknowledgements section.
authors.forename: Donald A
authors.initials: DA
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authors.affiliation: Further details of this ATS/ERS Task Force for COPD Research can be found in the acknowledgements section.
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authors.initials: F
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authors.affiliation: Further details of this ATS/ERS Task Force for COPD Research can be found in the acknowledgements section.
authors.forename: David M
authors.initials: DM
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authors.affiliation: Further details of this ATS/ERS Task Force for COPD Research can be found in the acknowledgements section.
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authors.initials: FJ
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authors.affiliation: Further details of this ATS/ERS Task Force for COPD Research can be found in the acknowledgements section.
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authors.affiliation: Further details of this ATS/ERS Task Force for COPD Research can be found in the acknowledgements section.
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authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Meek
authors.affiliation: Further details of this ATS/ERS Task Force for COPD Research can be found in the acknowledgements section.
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authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Papi
authors.affiliation: Further details of this ATS/ERS Task Force for COPD Research can be found in the acknowledgements section.
authors.forename: Klaus F
authors.initials: KF
authors.lastname: Rabe
authors.affiliation: Further details of this ATS/ERS Task Force for COPD Research can be found in the acknowledgements section.
authors.forename: Nicolas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Roche
authors.affiliation: Further details of this ATS/ERS Task Force for COPD Research can be found in the acknowledgements section.
authors.forename: Frank C
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Sciurba
authors.affiliation: Further details of this ATS/ERS Task Force for COPD Research can be found in the acknowledgements section.
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authors.affiliation: Further details of this ATS/ERS Task Force for COPD Research can be found in the acknowledgements section.
authors.forename: Nikos
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authors.affiliation: Further details of this ATS/ERS Task Force for COPD Research can be found in the acknowledgements section.
authors.forename: Don D
authors.initials: DD
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authors.affiliation: Further details of this ATS/ERS Task Force for COPD Research can be found in the acknowledgements section.
authors.forename: Joan B
authors.initials: JB
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authors.affiliation: Further details of this ATS/ERS Task Force for COPD Research can be found in the acknowledgements section.
authors.forename: James K
authors.initials: JK
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authors.affiliation: Further details of this ATS/ERS Task Force for COPD Research can be found in the acknowledgements section.
authors.forename: Donald P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Tashkin
authors.affiliation: Further details of this ATS/ERS Task Force for COPD Research can be found in the acknowledgements section.
authors.forename: Thierry
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authors.lastname: Troosters
authors.affiliation: Further details of this ATS/ERS Task Force for COPD Research can be found in the acknowledgements section.
authors.forename: Geert M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Verleden
authors.affiliation: Further details of this ATS/ERS Task Force for COPD Research can be found in the acknowledgements section.
authors.forename: Johny
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authors.lastname: Verschakelen
authors.affiliation: Further details of this ATS/ERS Task Force for COPD Research can be found in the acknowledgements section.
authors.forename: Jorgen
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authors.lastname: Vestbo
authors.affiliation: Further details of this ATS/ERS Task Force for COPD Research can be found in the acknowledgements section.
authors.forename: John W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Walsh
authors.affiliation: Further details of this ATS/ERS Task Force for COPD Research can be found in the acknowledgements section.
authors.forename: George R
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Washko
authors.affiliation: Further details of this ATS/ERS Task Force for COPD Research can be found in the acknowledgements section.
authors.forename: Robert A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Wise
authors.affiliation: Further details of this ATS/ERS Task Force for COPD Research can be found in the acknowledgements section.
authors.forename: Emiel F M
authors.initials: EF
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authors.affiliation: Further details of this ATS/ERS Task Force for COPD Research can be found in the acknowledgements section.
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authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: ZuWallack
mesh_terms: D035843:Biomedical Research; D015897:Comorbidity; D032921:Consensus; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D012307:Risk Factors; D040242:Risk Reduction Behavior; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016896:Treatment Outcome