Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, Asthma, or Both: Differential Diagnosis and Comprehensive Management Strategies

Target Audience
The educational design of this activity addresses the needs of pulmonologists, allergists, primary care providers, and other clinicians involved in the diagnosis and ongoing management of patients with chronic airway limitations.

Statement of Need
As chronic inflammatory diseases associated with airflow obstruction, asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) share a number of signs of symptoms. It has recently been recommended that patients who exhibit clinical features of both asthma and COPD should receive a diagnosis of asthma-COPD overlap syndrome (ACOS). This Clinical Research Updates roundtable examines the etiology of ACOS, including pathophysiologic mechanisms that appear to contribute to the development of both asthma and COPD. The expert faculty panel examines best practices for the differential diagnosis of asthma and COPD, highlighting clinical presentations that suggest an ACOS diagnosis may be warranted. Recommendations for initial and long-term treatment of patients with chronic airway limitations are also discussed, including the evolving roles of biomarkers and the latest evidence for current and emerging biologic therapies.

Learning Objectives
Upon completion of this activity, participants should be able to:
- Compare the pathologic underpinnings and clinical characteristics of 3 diseases of chronic airflow limitation: asthma, COPD and ACOS
- Differentially diagnose asthma, COPD, and ACOS based on medical history, clinical features, and appropriate ancillary testing
- Individualize therapy for patients with disorders of chronic airflow limitation to address the underlying diagnosis, medical status, clinical profiles of available medication, and relevant comorbidities
- Educate patients with asthma and/or COPD on lifestyle changes, therapeutic options, and the need to adhere to treatment regimens