COPD, Chronic Bronchitis and Exacerbations

The complex nature of chronic bronchitis (CB), along with evolving definitions, has made it challenging to fully understand its causes and overall disease burden.¹

In this on-demand video, Professor Wisia Wedzicha clarifies the various definitions of CB and highlights its prevalence, both in patients with COPD and across broader populations, including specific cohorts. She discusses the clinical significance of mucus hypersecretion and mucus plugging for patient outcomes.

Prof Wedzicha also reviews COPD exacerbation data, including distribution, determining factors, frequency and lung function decline. 

Please also consider watching the on-demand video ‘Understanding Mucus, Inflammation and Infection in COPD’ by Professor Dave Singh, which focuses on the pathophysiology leading to chronic bronchitis.

References

1. Zhang, Jingwen et al. “Chronic Bronchitis in Children and Adults: Definitions, Pathophysiology, Prevalence, Risk Factors, and Consequences.” Journal of clinical medicine vol. 13,8 2413. 20 Apr. 2024, doi:10.3390/jcm13082413

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• Professor Wisia Wedzicha

  Professor of Respiratory Medicine and Head of the Respiratory Division

  Read biography
  Professor Wisia Wedzicha

  Professor of Respiratory Medicine and Head of the Respiratory Division National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London

  Role and Location
  Professor of Respiratory Medicine, Head of the Respiratory Division at the National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College, Clinical Consul at Imperial College and Honorary Consultant at Royal Brompton and Harefield Hospitals.

  Education
  She qualified from Somerville College, Oxford University and St Bartholomew’s Hospital Medical College. She was elected as Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences (FMedSci) and is a fellow both of the American Thoracic Society (ATSF) and European Respiratory Society (FERS). She received the Helmholtz International Fellow Award in 2014.

  Research
  Professor Wedzicha has a major interest in the causes, mechanisms, impact and prevention of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) exacerbations, in the role of bacterial and viral infection in COPD exacerbations. She directs an active research group to study COPD exacerbations and has published extensively on these topics. She also directs the multi-centre British Early COPD Cohort (BEACON) designed to study the trajectory of the early stages of COPD.

  Memberships
  Professor Wedzicha was Editor-in-Chief of Thorax from 2002 to 2010 and till March 2022 the Editor in Chief for the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. She was the Lancet Ombudsman till 2014, Publications Director for the European Respiratory Society (ERS) and has also previously been ERS Guidelines Director. She is a member of the GOLD Scientific Committee