ASTHMA-COPD OVERLAP SYNDROME (ACOS) - AN UNDER DIAGNOSED CLINICAL CONDITION AMONG GERIATRICS

Asthma–COPD overlap syndrome (ACOS) is a clinical condition which is characterized by chronic airway inflammation and persistent airflow obstruction with several features usually associated with COPD and asthma respectively. Therefore ACOS is identified by the features that it shares both asthma and COPD. It is crucial to define asthma, COPD and ACOS, as notable clinical entities, since they share common pathologic and functional features. Patients with ACOS have the combined risk factors of smoking and atopy, and are generally younger than patients with COPD and experience acute exacerbations with higher frequency and greater severity than COPD alone. Pharmacotherapeutic considerations require an integrated approach, a consensus international definition of ACOS is needed to design prospective, randomized clinical trials to evaluate specific drug interventions on important outcomes such as lung function, acute exacerbations, quality of life and mortality. Key words: Asthma, Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, ACOS, elderly patients, under diagnosed.