Differences between COPD and asthma
Although COPD and asthma are both respiratory diseases characterised by underlying inflammation, the nature of the inflammation is quite different in each case. In COPD, inflammation is characterised by inflammatory cells such as neutrophils, CD8+ T-lymphocytes and macrophages and the disease is associated with airflow limitation that is not fully reversible.1,2 In asthma, airflow limitation is often fully reversible, either spontaneously or with treatment and is characterised by a different profile of inflammatory cells, namely eosinophils and CD4+ T-lymphocytes. In COPD, both the airways and lung parenchyma are affected by the disease and airflow limitation is progressive, however in asthma only the airways are affected. Asthma is usually present from childhood whereas COPD is predominantly diagnosed in patients >40 years old.2
Table 1: Summary of differences between COPD and asthma.2
|
COPD |
Asthma |
Predominant cells in
airways |
Neutrophils |
Eosinophils |
| Other cells present |
Macrophages
CD8+lymphocytes |
CD4+lymphocytes
Mast cells |
| Age of onset |
>40 |
Childhood onwards |
Nature of airway
limitation |
Not fully reversible |
Reversible spontaneously or
with treatment |
References
- Sciurba FC. Physiologic similarities and differences between COPD and asthma. Chest 2004:126;117S-126S.
- Global Initiative for chronic obstructive lung disease: Global strategy for the diagnosis, management, and prevention of COPD. 2010. www.goldcopd.org