Evaluation of small airway function and its application in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (Review)

xlomafota13 shared this article with you from Inoreader Evaluation of small airway function and its application in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (Review) Via Experimental and therapeutic medicine Exp Ther Med. 2021 Dec;22(6):1386. doi: 10.3892/etm.2021.10822. Epub 2021 Sep 29. ABSTRACT Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a chronic airway inflammatory disease characterized by incomplete reversible airflow limitation. The diagnosis of COPD is mainly based on pulmonary function examination. In recent years, it has been indicated that small airway dysfunction occurs in patients with all stages of COPD, even in high-risk smoking groups who have not yet met the diagnostic criteria for COPD. Early recognition of small airway dysfunction and early initiation of small airway targeted therapy have become foci of research. In the present review, the methods of evaluating small airway function were summarized and their merits and shortcomings were discussed. Furthermore, the potential of targeted treatment of small airways in patients with COPD was outlined. PMID:34650634 | PMC:PMC8506931 | DOI:10.3892/etm.2021.10822 View on the web Inoreader. Take back control of your news feed. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.