The Pressing Need to Redefine "COPD"

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) has now become a global epidemic, affects over 300 million individuals world-wide, has become the third most common cause of death and is one of the leading causes of chronic morbidity and hospitalization, resulting in an enormous economic burden.This special issue of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases: Journal of the COPD Foundation includes 3 important new analyses of the large COPD Genetic Epidemiology (COPDGene®) cohort concerning diagnosis, progression and the consequences of this disease.These striking new data have important implications for how we should define COPD in the future and how we should recognize different phenotypes.This will also be important in directing a search for new disease-modifying therapies that Editorial: The Pressing Need to Redefine COPD