The need for a new classification system in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Abstract

The current classification fails to fully meet the needs of physicians and COPD patients in clinical practice. The future classification should aim to prevent the development of disease in high-risk groups, enable early diagnosis before irreversible damage occurs, identify subgroups, and provide pathophysiological insight to inspire drug development. It would be reasonable to thoroughly examine and assess the contributing factors such as an increase in the annual decline of (FEV1), bronchial hyperresponsiveness, variable obstruction, FEV1 % predicted, blood eosinophil count, preserved ratio impaired spirometry (PRISm), and the subgroups of group B as potential additions to the new classification.