PriMera Scientific Surgical Research and Practice (ISSN: 2836-0028)

Guest Editorial

Volume 8 Issue 5

What Prevents Early Diagnosis, Good Prognosis, and Quality of Life in COPD?

Thomas Hausen*

November 03, 2026

DOI : 10.56831/PSSRP-08-343

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Abstract

Experts constantly lament the global increase in COPD but unfortunately fail to draw the necessary conclusions! Sadly, we have to look to doctors for the problems.

For decades, we have relied on the three symptoms of coughing, sputum production, and shortness of breath for the earliest possible diagnosis of COPD and believe that we can verify the diagnosis through lung function testing and spreading this misconception stereotypically in the guidelines.

We seem stubbornly resistant to acknowledging the fact that these symptoms only confirm that COPD has already become irreversibly established. Even lung function tests confirm obstruction at best, but not COPD, as there are also patients with COPD who have not “yet” developed obstruction. And smoking is also stereotypically treated as a risk factor.

References

1. Hausen Th and Corrigan CJ. “A Clinician’s View on Pre-chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease/Pre-non-obstructive Chronic Bronchitis: A Quest for More Research on Early Diagnosis and Treatment”. Exploratory Research and Hypothesis in Medicine (2024).
2. Hausen Th. ““Outpatient short-term education versus a combination of short-term and group education for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease”. Prevention and Rehabilitation 10.2 (1998): 83-88.
3. Hausen Th. “Patient education – how can a long-term effect be identified, and how long does it last?”. Pneumologie 53 (1999): 296-301.
4. Hausen Th. “Asthma – from diagnosis to successful treatment”. (2021): 354-361.
5. Calverley PM., et al. “Salmeterol and fluticasone propionate and survival in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease”. New England Journal of Medicine 356.8 (2007): 775-789.