TY - JOUR JF - European Respiratory Review JO - EUROPEAN RESPIRATORY REVIEW SP - 89 LP - 90 DO - 10.1183/09059180.00010501 VL - 16 IS - 105 AU - P. M. Calverley Y1 - 2007/09/01 UR - http://err.ersjournals.com/content/16/105/89.abstract N2 - Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is characterised by inflammation, airflow limitation that is not fully reversible and a gradual loss of lung function [1]. The most recent COPD guidelines from the Global Initiative on Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) emphasise the key point that an abnormal inflammatory response in the lungs to noxious gases or particles is central to the pathology of COPD [2]. The association of a systemic cellular and molecular inflammatory response with COPD is also well documented. Recent literature provide evidence of elevations in multiple serum markers of inflammation in patients with COPD, including interleukins, tumour necrosis factor-α and C-reactive protein [3, 4]. This systemic inflammation may contribute to the wide range of serious comorbidities observed in patients with COPD, including increased risk for cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, diabetes, gastrointestinal diseases, changes in body composition (loss of lean muscle mass) and anaemia [4]. The central role … ER -