Interrelation between Bronchial Asthma & COPD

Summary

Asthma is a clinical Syndrome defined physiologically by episodic reversible airway narrowing and hyperresponsiveness of the airway to a variety of Stimulate. It is also defined pathologically by the presence of certain recognizable  microscopic features including infiltration of the airway with eosinophils , hypertrophy and hyperplasia of airway smooth mucles, hypertrophy & hyperplasia of mucous secretary apparatus , and overall thickening of the airway wall.

With this pathologic features Asthma in other word is a “chromic desquamative eosinophilic Bronchitis”.

Chronic obstructive plamonary disease (COPD) is a disease state characterized by the presence of airflow obstruction secondary to chronic bronchitis or emphysema.

Despite the airflow obstruction is generally progressive , but many of patients with COPD have significant reversibility & hyperactivity in their airways similar to asthma.

The patients with asthma may go on to develop irreversible airflow obstruction indistinguishable from COPD.

Studies show that despite clinical & pathophysiological & pathologenesis differentiation between asthma & COPD. There is interrelation in these disease.

Atopy, hyperresponsive airways, and asthma may play a role in the genesis of COPD.