Therapeutic prospects to treat skeletal muscle wasting in COPD (chronic obstructive lung disease)

Abstract

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is an incurable group of lung diseases characterised by progressive airflow limitation and loss of lung function, which lead to profound disability. It is mostly caused by cigarette smoke. Although COPD is one of the most prevalent diseases worldwide and its incidence is increasing, current therapies do little to improve the condition. Much current research focuses on strategies to halt the accelerated rate of decline in lung function that occurs in the disease. However, as most symptoms occur when the lungs are already extensively and irreversibly damaged, it is uncertain whether an agent able to slow or halt decline in lung function would actual..