COPD: Immunopathogenesis and Immunological Markers

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a disease of the lungs characterised by progressive and irreversible airflow limitation associated with chronic inflammation. Despite extensive research, the immunopathogenesis of COPD is still not fully elucidated. In this review, we outline the current understanding of the pathophysiology of COPD with a particular focus on chronic inflammation and the role of inflammatory cells such as neutrophils and macrophages in the disease, describe the exhaled breath condensate, a novel method of detecting inflammatory biomarkers, and suggest novel biomarkers to better characterise the immunopathogenesis of COPD.