Unmet Needs and the Future of Asthma-Chronic Pulmonary Obstructive Disease Overlap.

If there is a need to consider the possible overlapping of features of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in the same patient as a clinical condition that deserves specific attention, an acceptable definition for it must be found. The identification of specific biomarkers using multi-omics platforms, may help in differentiating ACO from asthma and COPD and in choosing the right treatment. It is likely that an approach based on treatable traits and additional knowledge about the mechanisms underlying these treatable traits will be the solution to the problem.