Clinical Significance of Symptoms in Smokers with Preserved Pulmonary Function

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease diagnosis rests on chronic pulmonary symptoms and airflow obstruction. This study showed that people may have chronic COPD symptoms but no airflow obstruction. Such patients have more COPD exacerbations than those without chronic symptoms. Among the criteria that are needed to make a diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are deficits in the rate at which one can forcefully exhale. Most experts consider a low ratio (