Review

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: A Chronic Systemic Inflammatory Disease
Stephan F. van Eeden, Don D. Sin

James Hogg iCapture Centre for Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Research, University of British Columbia, and Respiratory Division, St. Paul's Hospital, Vancouver, B.C., Canada

Address of Corresponding Author

Respiration 2008;75:224-238 (DOI: 10.1159/000111820)

  Key Words

• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
• Cytokines
• Inflammation, systemic
• Proteins, phase reactive
• Bone marrow

  Abstract

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is characterized by chronic inflammation in both the airways causing airway obstruction and the lung tissues causing emphysema. The disease is induced by inhalation of noxious gasses and particulate matter resulting in a chronic persistent inflammatory response in the lung, and the extent of the inflammatory reaction correlates with the severity of the disease. This chronic inflammatory response in the lung is also associated with a significant systemic inflammatory response with downstream adverse clinical health effects. The systemic response in COPD is associated with mortality, specifically cardiovascular mortality. This review describes the nature of the systemic inflammatory response in COPD and the clinical manifestations associated with the systemic response, with a focus on the potential mechanisms for these adverse health effects.

Copyright © 2007 S. Karger AG, Basel

  Author Contacts

Dr. Stephan van Eeden
The James Hogg iCapture Centre for Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Research University of British Columbia
St. Paul's Hospital, 1081 Burrard Street, Vancouver, BC V6Z 1Y6 (Canada)
Tel. +1 604 806 8351, Fax +1 604 806 8346, E-Mail svaneeden@mrl.ubc.ca

  Article Information

Received: July 5, 2007
Accepted after revision: September 14, 2007
Published online: November 28, 2007
Number of Print Pages : 15
Number of Figures : 3, Number of Tables : 1, Number of References : 141