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Postgrad Med J 2008;84:628-634 doi:10.1136/pgmj.2008.069864
  • Review

Biomarkers in the assessment and management of airways diseases

  1. D R Taylor1,
  2. I D Pavord2
  1. 1
    Dunedin School of Medicine, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
  2. 2
    Department of Respiratory Medicine, Allergy and Thoracic Surgery, University Hospitals of Leicester Trust, Glenfield Hospital, Leicester, UK
  1. Professor D R Taylor, Dunedin School of Medicine, University of Otago, PO Box 913, Dunedin, New Zealand; robin.taylor{at}stonebow.otago.ac.nz
  • Received 24 June 2008
  • Accepted 26 September 2008

Abstract

A plethora of biomarkers are becoming available in the field of respiratory medicine, but their application in clinical practice has been limited. This is changing. There is increasing scope for biomarkers to be used to define pathological as well as treatment responder phenotypes in asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. In some situations, conventional diagnostic labelling is being superseded by this approach and clinical outcomes are improved. Biomarkers are potentially very important in the development and assessment of new therapeutic agents, particularly for the treatment of severe asthma. They also have a potential role in monitoring disease activity and predicting future clinical outcomes for asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Current evidence in relation to these issues is explored in this review.

Footnotes

  • Competing interests: None.

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