What is pre-COPD and do we know how to treat it?

ABSTRACT

Introduction

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. The lung damage in COPD is associated with an enhanced chronic inflammatory response in the airways and lung tissue to harmful particles or gases. Early detection and treatment of COPD can help manage symptoms and slow the progression of the disease.

Areas covered

Status of knowledge regarding early diagnosis, definition of pre-COPD, possible new tools for early diagnosis, possibilities of early treatment, and the results of studies in this population are discussed. Literature search (2014–2024) was done in PubMed, EMBASE, and WoS databases using the keywords COPD, early diagnosis, treatment, smoking, prevention; with additional search of literature in found articles.

Expert opinion

No early case-finding programs have been proposed or validated, so we still have many patients diagnosed in the late stage of the disease. Clinically manifest COPD is characterized as typically progressive and irreversible with current therapeutic options. If we aim to reduce the mortality and morbidity from COPD we should target these steps: Prevention; Early diagnosis; Form registries of persons at risk for COPD development; Diagnose preclinical COPD; and discover new preventive therapeutic interventions.

KEYWORDS:

• COPD
• early diagnosis
• treatment
• smoking
• prevention

Article highlights

• COPD is one of the top three causes of death worldwide that is still on the raise

• Prevention is essential and should be promoted and stressed as the most important

• Early diagnosis of pre-COPD is a crucial point in reducing the impact of COPD epidemic

• It is important to clearly define pre-COPD and to introduce new diagnostic tools and early case finding programs

• New preventive treatment strategies should be tested in pre- and early COPD

Declaration of interest

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

Reviewer disclosures

Peer reviewers on this manuscript have no relevant financial or other relationships to disclose.

Additional information

Funding

This paper was not funded.