Asthma and COPD labels under review

Defining a patient's symptoms with broad labels such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is an outdated approach, argue respiratory experts in a peer-reviewed paper.

Writing in the European Respiratory Journal, Professor Alvar Agusti and colleagues call for a personalised approach to management that identifies treatable traits in each patient.

While the labels of asthma and COPD are valuable for patients who display stereotypical symptoms, they argue there are a growing number of patients who do not fit, including those with adult-onset