Is Disease Stability an Attainable Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Treatment Goal?

Abstract

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a heterogeneous lung condition characterized by progressive airflow obstruction. Despite advancements in diagnosis and treatment, the disease burden remains high; although clinical trials have shown improvements in outcomes such as exacerbations, quality of life, and lung function, improvement may not be attainable for many patients. For patients who do experience improvement, it is challenging to set management goals given the progressive nature of COPD. We therefore propose disease stability as an appropriate and attainable treatment goal. Other disease areas have developed definitions of no disease activity or remission, which provide relevant information for defining and achieving stability for patients with COPD. Disease stability builds on related concepts already defined in COPD, such as clinical control and clinically important deterioration. Current components that could form part of a disease stability definition include exacerbations, health status (including quality of life and symptoms), and lung function. Considerations should be given to intervals over which stability is defined and assessed, appropriate thresholds, and defining a composite. Ensuring a holistic approach, objective measurements, and harmonious, clear communication between patients and physicians can further support establishing disease stability. Here we propose a preliminary definition of disease stability, informed by existing research in COPD. Further research will be needed to validate the framework for use in clinical and research settings. Exploring disease stability as a goal, however, is an opportunity to develop and validate an attainable treatment target to advance the standard of care for patients with COPD.