PT - JOURNAL ARTICLE AU - Alvar Agustí AU - Bartolomé Celli TI - Natural history of COPD: gaps and opportunities AID - 10.1183/23120541.00117-2017 DP - 2017 Oct 01 TA - ERJ Open Research PG - 00117-2017 VI - 3 IP - 4 4099 - http://openres.ersjournals.com/content/3/4/00117-2017.short 4100 - http://openres.ersjournals.com/content/3/4/00117-2017.full SO - erjor2017 Oct 01; 3 AB - Understanding the natural history of a disease is as important as knowing its cause(s) for effective disease prevention and treatment. Yet, our current understanding of the natural history of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is incomplete and often controversial. This article discusses the current gaps, and hence opportunities for research, in this field. In particular, it discusses the following six specific questions. 1) Is COPD a “single” disease? 2) Is COPD “only” a lung disease? 3) When does COPD begin or what is “early” COPD? 4) How does COPD “progress”? 5) How do we assess disease “severity”? 6) Can COPD be prevented (beyond smoking cessation) or its course be modified once detected?A new review series starts in ERJ Open Research: “Gaps in our understanding of COPD” http://ow.ly/CFSD30gpXs8