International Journal of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Impact of comorbidities on COPD

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide with an economic and social burden that is both substantial and increasing. A number of meta-analyses and systematic reviews provide evidence that prevalence of COPD is appreciable higher in smokers compared to non-smokers, in those >40 years of age compared to those <40, and in men compared to women. COPD is a progressive respiratory condition often accompanied by various comorbidities that significantly affect patient outcomes. It is estimated that 80% of COPD patients are likely to have at least one comorbidity. An increasing number of people in any aging population will suffer from multi-morbidity, defined as the presence of two or more chronic conditions, and COPD is present in most multi-morbid patients.  The systemic involvement in patients with COPD, as well as the interactions between COPD and its comorbidities, justify the description of chronic systemic inflammatory syndrome.

The pathogenesis of COPD is closely linked with aging, as well as with cardiovascular, endocrine, musculoskeletal, renal, and gastrointestinal pathologies. These complex interactions are based on chronic low-grade systemic inflammation, chronic hypoxia, and multiple common predisposing factors, and are currently under intense research. The incidence of comorbidities increases later in life, decreasing the quality of life of patients with COPD, as well as complicating the management of the disease.

We welcome reviews and original articles. Potential topics of this Article Collection include but are not limited to:

• Assessment of COPD comorbidities by HRCT
• Lung cancer as fatal COPD comorbidity
• Overlap syndrome: COPD and sleep apnea
• Impact of diabetes on COPD
• Management of heart failure in COPD
• Risk of atherosclerosis in chronic respiratory diseases
• Link between COPD and autoimmune diseases
• New phenotype IPF plus emphysema

Keywords

• COPD
• Comorbidities
• Obstruction

­­All manuscripts submitted to this Article Collection will undergo a full peer-review; the Guest Advisor for this Collection will not be handling the manuscripts (unless they are an Editorial Board member).

Please review the journal scope and author submission instructions prior to submitting a manuscript.

The deadline for submitting manuscripts is 30 June 2026.

Please contact Zhiyuan Zhang at [email protected] with any queries regarding this Article Collection.

Guest Advisors

Dr. Alexandru Corlateanu is the Professor and chief of Department of Respiratory medicine at State University of Medicine and Pharmacy "Nicolae Testemitanu", Chisinau, Moldova. He is National Leader for Moldova at The Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) and member of the The Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) Assembly for Moldova. He has written over 50 peer-reviewed articles and several book chapters. He is a reviewer for multiple reputed journals in the field of respiratory diseases.

Dr. Alexandr Ceasovschih, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor in Grigore T. Popa University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Internal Medicine and Cardiology Consultant in Clinical Emergency Hospital Sfântul Spiridon, Iași, România. His Clarivate Web of Science h-index and consistent publication record reflect meaningful academic involvement, with a focus on areas of Internal Medicine. He is young fellow of European Society of Atherosclerosis and deputy editor in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, as well as reviewer in many Clarivate Web of Science journals.

Dr. Pradeesh Sivapalan is a respiratory physician and clinical researcher based in Denmark. His research focuses on acute and chronic respiratory infections, COPD, and the use of biomarkers and randomized trials to guide treatment strategies. He has authored several high-impact publications and leads or co-leads multiple national and international research projects, including large pragmatic trials and registry-based studies. Pradeesh is also involved in medical education and mentoring of early-career researchers.