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Semin Respir Crit Care Med 2015; 36(04): 478-490
DOI: 10.1055/s-0035-1555609
Thieme Medical Publishers 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.

The Promise of Observational Studies (ECLIPSE, SPIROMICS, and COPDGene) in Achieving the Goal of Personalized Treatment of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Stephen I. Rennard
1   Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, Sleep and Allergy, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska
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Publication History

Publication Date:
03 August 2015 (online)

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Abstract

Personalized medicine is based on the concept that individuals differ from one another. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is particularly in need of a personalized medicine strategy. However, while the COPD population is characterized by a marked degree of heterogeneity at the etiologic, mechanistic, physiologic, and clinical levels, efforts to cluster COPD patients into meaningful groups that can guide therapy have been limited. Three large observational studies—the Evaluation of COPD Longitudinally to Identify Predictive Surrogate Endpoints (ECLIPSE), the Subpopulations and Intermediate Outcomes in COPD Study (SPIROMICS), and COPDGene—are underway and/or being analyzed. These studies have accumulated a uniquely rich set of clinical and biological data on relatively large cohorts of patients who have already influenced the way in which COPD is viewed. These studies have great potential to advance understanding of COPD so that the goal of personalized treatment can be pursued.

Keywords

emphysema - COPD - cluster analysis - ECLIPSE - SPIROMICS - COPDGene