Eosinophilic COPD: a Separate Disease Phenotype Warranting Specific Treatment

For a long time disease severity of COPD was characterized by the GOLD criteria. These criteria are based on lung function criteria and do not take differences in inflammatory response into account. It is generally agreed upon that COPD is characterized by different pathogenetic mechanisms either resulting in a bronchitis type of COPD or in a emphysematous type. This difference is important as it is to be expected that the bronchitis type will benefit more from anti-inflammatory therapy