Asthma-chronic obstructive pulmonary disease overlap syndrome

Overlap of asthma and chronic obstructive lung disease (ACO) in patients with obstructive lung disease is growing in recognition, though there is no consistent agreement on the diagnostic criteria for the disease process. Patients with ACO have distinct clinical characteristics and trajectories, which are representative of a heterogenous, multifactorial, and incompletely understood inflammatory pathophysiology. Current treatment strategies are focused on titration of inhaled therapies such as long-acting bronchodilators, with increasing interest in the use of targeted biologic therapies aimed at the underlying inflammatory mechanisms. Future directions for research will focus on elucidating the varied inflammatory signatures leading to ACO, the development of consistent diagnostic criteria and biomarkers of disease, and improving the clinical management with an eye toward targeted therapies.