Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease phenotypes, biomarkers, and prognostic indicators

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a heterogeneous disease associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Current diagnostic criteria are based on lung function impairment, symptoms, and exacerbation frequency but do not capture the heterogeneity of the disease in terms of the complex pathologic changes that occur within lung, the different airway inflammatory patterns, or the airway microbial ecology. Recognition of the importance of defining the heterogeneity of COPD has led to the identification of important phenotypes with specific biomarkers, treatment responses, and underlying pathophysiologic mechanisms. This review summarized the presentation at the Eastern Allergy Conference 2016, which considered how multidimensional phenotyping provides important clinical insights that enable the clinician to move toward a precision medicine approach for COPD.