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The Complexity of a Respiratory Patient

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Abstract

Although chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is defined by the presence of chronic airflow limitation, it is considered a complex, heterogeneous, and multicomponent disease. The heterogeneity and complexity is seen in the pulmonary expression of the disease, ranging from chronic bronchitis without emphysema to emphysema without bronchitis, in the presence or absence of exacerbations, in the differential diagnosis with asthma, but also in comorbidities and extrapulmonary manifestations, which have important contributions to disease expression, disease burden, and survival.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. CIRO, A Centre of Expertise for Chronic Organ Failure, Horn, The Netherlands

    Lowie E. G. W. Vanfleteren

  2. Respiratory Department, Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht, The Netherlands

    Lowie E. G. W. Vanfleteren

Authors
  1. Lowie E. G. W. Vanfleteren
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Lowie E. G. W. Vanfleteren .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Modena, Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria di Modena Policlinico, Modena, Italy

    Enrico Clini

  2. Alfred Health and Institute for Breathing and Sleep, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia

    Anne E. Holland

  3. State University of Londrina, Londrina, Paraná, Brazil

    Fabio Pitta

  4. Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, KU Leuven, Respiratory Division and Rehabilitation, University Hospital Leuven, Leuven, Belgium

    Thierry Troosters

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Vanfleteren, L.E.G.W. (2018). The Complexity of a Respiratory Patient. In: Clini, E., Holland, A., Pitta, F., Troosters, T. (eds) Textbook of Pulmonary Rehabilitation. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-65888-9_4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-65888-9_4

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-65887-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-65888-9

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

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