COPD 2017: A Year in Review

ABSTRACT

In this review, we focused on original manuscripts published in the 2017 that provided additional information on the clinical and therapeutic features of the chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

We have chosen eight of these studies, collected in four topics concerning the pharmacological treatment (tiotropium) of mild-moderate patients, the pharmacological (fluticasone furoate/vilanterol/umeclidinium) and non-pharmacological treatment (non-invasive mechanical ventilation) of severe patients, the etiology of acute exacerbation of COPD involving seasonal airway pathogens and the role of eosinophils with particular interest to the monoclonal antibody directed against interleukin-5 (mepolizumab).

For each topic, we report a brief description of studies, take-home messages, and brief comments.

KEYWORDS:

• chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
• pharmacological treatment
• non-invasive mechanical ventilation
• acute exacerbation of COPD
• eosinophils

Conflict of interest statements

The authors report no conflicts of interest

Author contributions

Drafting the work or revising it critically for important intellectual content: EC, AT. Final approval of the version submitted for publication: AT.