Molfino Néstor A, Jeffery Peter K
Otsuka Maryland Research Institute, Rockville, MD, USA.
Pulm Pharmacol Ther. 2007;20(5):462-72. doi: 10.1016/j.pupt.2006.04.003. Epub 2006 May 6.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a major worldwide health burden with increasing morbidity, mortality and health care cost. It is a slowly progressive chronic inflammatory condition that affects the conducting airways (both large and small) and lung parenchyma. In COPD, inflammation is evident early on even in mild disease and increases with disease severity. Recent advances in our knowledge demonstrate, by comparison with asthma, the distinctive, "abnormal" or exaggerated inflammatory processes involved in the pathogenesis of COPD and thus identify novel therapeutic targets that could potentially impact on disease progression. The present review will focus on what is known of the abnormal inflammatory response of COPD in different regions of the conducting airways and lung. Novel, potentially promising approaches to therapy are presented.
慢性阻塞性肺疾病（COPD）是一项全球性的重大健康负担，其发病率、死亡率和医疗成本不断上升。它是一种缓慢进展的慢性炎症性疾病，会影响各级传导气道（包括大小气道）和肺实质。在COPD中，即使是轻度疾病，炎症在早期就很明显，并随着疾病严重程度的增加而加重。与哮喘相比，我们目前所掌握的知识进展表明，COPD发病机制中存在独特的、“异常”或过度的炎症过程，从而确定了可能影响疾病进展的新治疗靶点。本综述将聚焦于COPD在各级传导气道和肺不同区域的异常炎症反应的已知情况。文中还介绍了新的、具有潜在前景的治疗方法。
