title: Clinical significance of airway mucus hypersecretion in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
abstract: Airway mucus hypersecretion is one of the most important features of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Airway mucus hypersecretion in COPD patients results in outcomes such as rapid decline of lung function, poor quality of life, and high rate of acute exacerbation, hospitalization and mortality. Nonpharmacologic treatments for airway mucus hypersecretion in COPD include smoking cessation and physical rehabilitation. Pharmacologic therapies include expectorants, mucolytics, methylxanthines, beta-adrenergic receptor agonists, anticholinergics, glucocorticoids, phosphodiesterase-4 inhibitors, antioxidants, and antibiotics. Novel drugs with promising prospects are currently under clinical trials.
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Medicine, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan Province, China.
authors.forename: Pan-Wen
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: Tian
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Medicine, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan Province, China.
authors.forename: Fu-Qiang
authors.initials: FQ
authors.lastname: Wen
keywords: chronic obstructive; mucus hypersecretion; pulmonary disease