An Official American Thoracic Society/European Respiratory Society Statement: Research questions in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2015 Apr 1;191(7):e4-e27. doi: 10.1164/rccm.201501-0044ST.

Abstract

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a leading cause of morbidity, mortality, and resource use worldwide. The goal of this Official American Thoracic Society (ATS)/European Respiratory Society (ERS) Research Statement is to describe evidence related to diagnosis, assessment, and management; identify gaps in knowledge; and make recommendations for future research. It is not intended to provide clinical practice recommendations on COPD diagnosis and management.

Methods: Clinicians, researchers, and patient advocates with expertise in COPD were invited to participate. A literature search of Medline was performed, and studies deemed relevant were selected. The search was not a systematic review of the evidence. Existing evidence was appraised and summarized, and then salient knowledge gaps were identified.

Results: Recommendations for research that addresses important gaps in the evidence in all areas of COPD were formulated via discussion and consensus.

Conclusions: Great strides have been made in the diagnosis, assessment, and management of COPD as well as understanding its pathogenesis. Despite this, many important questions remain unanswered. This ATS/ERS Research Statement highlights the types of research that leading clinicians, researchers, and patient advocates believe will have the greatest impact on patient-centered outcomes.

Publication types

  • Consensus Development Conference
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Systematic Review

MeSH terms

  • Biomedical Research / organization & administration*
  • Europe
  • Evidence-Based Medicine / methods
  • Evidence-Based Medicine / organization & administration
  • Humans
  • Organizational Objectives
  • Policy Making
  • Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / diagnosis*
  • Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / therapy*
  • Societies, Medical / organization & administration*
  • United States