2Elazığ Fethi Sekin City Hospital, Elazığ, Turkey
Abstract
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. It is a complex and heterogeneous disease. In recent years, studies showed that forced expiratory volume in 1 s solely was not enough to describe heterogeneity of COPD patients, and subsequently, phenotypes of COPD were identified. The aim of phenotyping is the classification of patients into distinct subgroups according to the prognosis and response to therapy so that the selection of optimal therapy can be possible, and this clinical approach may improve prognosis. In the assessment and management of the disease, it is important to consider phenotype of a COPD patient. The aim of this article is to review predefined COPD phenotypes, their clinical and epidemiological features, and usefulness in clinical practice for accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment of COPD patients.