Corticosteroid therapy for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Preview

Several studies performed in the last ten years have shown that a few patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease benefit from corticosteroid therapy. Investigators have tried to pinpoint factors that could predict which patients will benefit, because the side effects of corticosteroid use can be major. No predictive criteria or recommendations have been established as yet, but the authors discuss results of the latest research and describe a clinical trial that may identify the individual most likely to have positive results.